Twilight
by RamenKitty
Summary: Sequel to "LoveStory"(re-uploaded) William and Annette settle into married life-but While Wesker chases a monster around paris trouble brews! And young Chris Redfield joins the military and learns that nothing is what it seems...PLEASE REVIEW! ^_^
1. Picking up the pieces of the mirror

Author's Note: Ah! Yes the planned and highly (at least I think highly) anticipated sequel to "Love Story" 

            When I originally started out in writing this fanfiction, it was going to be a first chapter one shot-and left there.  I decided to add more because of the overwhelming and positive responses that I got from my reviewers ^_^

I'd like to thank each and every one of you-I hope you enjoyed "Love Story" and I hope you like this one just as well.  

---

Disclaimer: Resident Evil owned by capcom.  I have some original characters in this, but they're used to mostly enhance the story.  Back-story is just guessed-prolly wrong, read and review anyway ne? 

-------------

Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now,  
thus much let me avow--  
You are not wrong who deem  
that my days have been a dream;  
yet if hope has flown away  
in a night, or in a day,  
in a vision, or in none,  
is it therefore the less gone?  
All that we see or seem  
is but a dream within a dream."

-Edgar Allen Poe "A dream within a dream."

---------------

131601 Avalon Street

"Algernon Court"

Silent Hill Suburbs.

The house waited.

            It did a lot of waiting; the inhabitants of the house spent a lot of time away from it, going about various human activities.

"Hey!"

One returned.

            Annette LeDour Birkin unlocked the door to her home and shifted the weight she was carrying to her other arm.  She pushed the door open wider and ignored the now familiar clack-clack noise that her heels made on the tile in the entryway.

Is William Home yet? 

Obviously not.  Her husband had been spending the past week and a half practically living in his lab.  She'd gone to see him of course-but it was weird buying food for two people when one was practically never there.

She shrugged and turned down a white-carpeted hallway to the kitchen.

            Unfortunately, Umbrella had a passion for faux modern homes, so Annette and William's domicile was no exception.  White, almost blinding walls was everywhere-sometimes dotted with tiny pictures of strange objects.  She walked past the living room/adjoined kitchen and dropped the groceries unceremoniously on the counter.

Well shoot. 

            When they'd first come to the house she'd been excited.  Dancing around William like a hyperactive child.

William had only replied, "It's a house."

The weeks following their marriage had gone downhill from there.

            William and she both spent a lot of time at the labs-but in different sections.  The only time they really saw each other was on the drive home, and even then both were too weary to speak or even discuss the world around them.

Annette sighed and tossed a couple of frozen pizzas on the countertop.  Life sure was full of mysteries.

And often times not ones we want to hear about… 

            Annette left the groceries lying on the table and walked into the living room.  Her body slumped as she flopped down onto the soft white couch and reached for the remote.  She clicked the TV on and listened with half an ear as she slipped off her high heels and lay back on the couch.

"Authorities confirm today in the south of France that a mysterious monster has been seen roaming around-"

            Annette pulled herself up off of the couch and turned up the volume, listening intently.

"This creature is known to be at least eight feet tall-naked-and foul smelling.  French Authorities confirm that it has last been seen around the city of Paris.  Authorities are urging Parisian citizens to keep a sharp lookout-and a reward has been offered for images of the creature-here's one now-"

The camera faded out for a moment, the announcer's voice ringing in her ears as it showed a close up of a hulking figure-the flesh sloughing off its arms and legs-its features dim in the darkness…

"Annette?"

The door opened.  William's voice filled the hall, "Annette?"

            Annette grunted and pushed herself up off the couch.  She strode quickly from the family room and peered around the corner in the kitchen where William stood looking like a distraught ghost.

"William?"

            His eyes found hers, "It escaped."

She frowned, "What?"

"It escaped.  They opened one of the cages-it killed the doctor in charge."

Annette froze, "What?"

            William Walked over and took a swig of water, "We don't know-second-hand reports.  Something big that Umbrella Europe was working on.  Nobody's talking."

Annette frowned, "Why is that such a problem?"

            William gave her a hard look and stepped over to the table.  He blinked in surprise at the bouquet of fresh flowers-roses-and ignored them completely.  He dropped his briefcase on the table with a thud and began going through papers.

"Hows the lab?"

            "Okay-about usual.  Two new PHD candidates out of Harvard have replaced Dr. Westlake and Dr. Wolf." 

Annette shook her head.  She hadn't known that those two had been among the dead at Arklay.

            "Anything else?"

"Some new recruits-oh and your friend Kate applied for a position."

Annette froze.

            William stood and left his papers on the table.  He walked to the refrigerator, got a drink, and returned to his seat completely ignoring his wife.

"She-She-"

"What's wrong?"

            Absolutely nothing. Annette thought, Just that _my _best friend is coming to work for Umbrella. 

"Nothing." She stepped across the kitchen and fingered a frozen pizza box lightly.  One of the more interesting implements the house had come with-a microwave-was still untested.  

"Pizza for dinner?"

            William had his head buried in a stack of papers, "If you like."

Annette sighed and peeled open the box lid.  This was how it was, the man she had married for life.

-------------------------

Paris France-

"May I remind you Dr. Wesker." The Frenchman said in a snotty tone, "That you are here in an _advising _compacity only?"

            Albert Wesker removed his sunglasses and _stared._

"And may I remind you, that you have an escaped…thing-out in the middle of Paris and you can't find it?"

The French man grimaced, "Your point is made." He stuffed his hands into his pockets, "What I am about to reveal to you is top secret- should you tell anyone-_anyone_ then when we have recaptured that thing-we will send it after you.  It does not stop, it does not die-"

"Then how," Wesker's voice was oily, "Do you intend to recapture it?"

            The French man sighed.  He pulled a hand out of his pocket attached to a handkerchief.

"You're right, right of course.  How will we capture it?  I can't tell you how often I've asked myself that.  It is utterly without fear-inescapable-and it can't die." 

"That's where you're wrong." I'll take it out by force if necessary. 

            "Let me rephrase that." The man said, "We have to capture it, that's a 2 million dollar piece of equipment out there."

Wesker raised an eyebrow, "I doubt it." Developing Bio-Weapons can't be that expensive. 

            "It would be helpful if you could give me some more information."

"That is impossible." The Frenchman said, "We have no idea what you Americans are working on, why should we tell you our secrets?"

            "But-"

" You must Understand Mr. Wesker.  If you are to reveal all your cards then where will you be in the game?"

--------------------

Umbrella HQ-US Division

The man hurried through the double glass doors and ignored the secretary who was on the phone.

He stopped briefly at a drinking fountain, continuing down a row of almost characteristic offices and knocked on the first.

"Yes?"

"Its David."

            The door opened a crack and revealed a woman with blond hair done in two buns at either side of her head.  Looking for the entire world like an awful throwback to Star Wars, the man entered and leaned against the doorway.

"Is everything ready?"

            The woman, petite, Asian, with well-dyed blond hair, nodded, "We know that the subject has been contacted, and we know that most likely after the Arklay incident he'll be accepting their offer."

"I bet." David wiped his face with the back of his hand, "And you? How are you holding up?"

            "Okay." The woman sighed, "Nothing but paperwork-thankfully nothing too dangerous."

"Hang in there kiddo."

Ada Wong nodded, "I will."

            David pulled open the door with his left arm, turning around and exiting.  Ada Wong sat for a moment before standing and walking over to the phone hooked into the wall.  She paused before dialing a number making sure to put in the area code.

"Its White tiger." She listened for a moment, "The Hunters are on to us, I repeat- the Hunters are on to us.  We must move to capture Black Tiger-NOW."

Then with all the nonchalance of a teenager making a phonecall she hung up, sat back down at her mighty computer desk- and began to type again.

--------------------

Raccoon City-Again.

One Day later.

Raccoon City again.

            Quite the serene hamlet.  Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing that would make you think otherwise apart from-mountain paradise.

A woman, short blond hair and bright blue eyes-steps from a grocery store.  She shifts the weight of her bags to her other hip and makes her way down the stairs to a nice car in the corner of the parking lot.

Nothing abnormal about that.

            The sniper in the car took careful aim and let everything else slip from his mind.  He watched her open the trunk and bend over-carefully exposing her backside.

Perfect. 

Nothing abnormal or unusual.  Two people going about their business.

The sound of thunder that shook the parking lot a few minutes later was defining.  A boy and girl-man and woman-lept from their own white car nearby and peered upward like groundhogs.  A security guard jumped from the grocery store and jogged toward the body.

Time to go.

            The man gunned the car and exploded out of the parking lot, nearly hitting a teenager who had the misfortune to glance upward at the wrong time.  She cursed and was flung aside into an old woman-but not before getting a good look at the back of the car.

"My god!" The boy reached the body first, his girlfriend close behind, "She's been shot!"

            "Stand back! Stand back!" The security guard-a large African American man came foreward and flipped the body over.  The shot had missed her spine- (At least as far as he could tell) but tore into the flesh of her side.  

Blood was everywhere, nothing abnormal about that.

"Call the cops."

"How?"

The boy took off running towards a payphone.  His girlfriend nervously removed her leather jacket and gently spread it over the woman's body.

The teenager climbed over a car, "Can you fucking believe that? This guy just drives out of the fucking' parking lot and nearly runs me over! Goddamn asshole-someone calls the cops! That was a deliberate attempt on my-"

She stared downward.  Her white sneaker unblemished by the blood that was seeping into the fabric.

"Oh."

Four people, attempting to help one of their own that had fallen.

Nothing abnormal about that.

-----------------

Austria-Umbrella World Headquarters

Exactly the same time

The high arched walls and windows did nothing to add to the light in the room.  It was kept dark for a good reason, and the man liked it that way.

            He was in the middle of a game, he liked games.  He was a connoisseur in fact-each of his pieces was molded into whatever image he wanted, care taken in their construction.  He kept some in check waiting to move, and others he moved foreward with blatant disregard for their safety.

He didn't really play against anyone.

            He reached across his desk and picked up a piece he'd moved off the board some time ago.  A black knight-the horse's head in a furious snarl.  It's companion, a red knight-had been checkmated by a queen from one of his new opponents.

He'd had new pieces made.

            The red knight was halfway across the board now, venturing deep into enemy territory.  He'd had to send off the pawn protecting it-or rather she'd been idiotic and gotten herself killed.  Now he'd have to send in someone to rescue his Red knight.

But who?

His eyes strayed across the board to the new black knight, still standing patiently at attention.  He'd moved him foreward a while back, but now he kept his distance. 

Ah! 

The man selected a pawn and deftly danced it across the board to where the blue knight stood.

Perfect. 

At least it afforded some protection.

            The echoes of the ringing phone bounced off the walls and the chessboard.  He picked up the sleek device and listened to the voice on the other end-before hanging up curtly.

He sighed.

He reached over his own pieces to his opponent's side and selected a pawn.  Moments passed as he maneuvered the pawn out of the way and brought forth a white charger-yet another knight-and pushed it towards the pawn.

Clever move. The white charger stood before the two of them now, Clever indeed. 

He paused before knocking the pawn out of the way leaving the blue knight exposed.

-------------

Raccoon City Hospital.

Once again, Dr. Pete Lebowski reflected on how woefully understaffed Raccoon Hospital was.

They had brought in the victim a few minutes ago, good-looking woman, gunshot wound apparently passed through her side, and into the tire of a teenager's car.  Poor woman, in surgery now…

"Do we know who she is?"

            An OR surgeon popped out of nowhere, "Wallet has an ID-she works for Umbrella Corporation."

"You called it in?"

The surgeon scoffed, "In a minute."

Pete sighed, "Christ George…you don't know when to quit do you? That's why Laura's so paranoid about you.  No commitment."

George-the surgeon-blushed.

            "Her name?"

"Annette Birkin." George handed over a medical file, "Just got married like three weeks ago."

"Jealous?"

George looked superior, "Hardly.  Laura said yes I'd have you know." He smiled then, the first genuine smile from this easy man, and scratched his head, "Anyway I called her husband, and I called Carl down from the fifth floor.

Pete looked confused, "What? Why?"

            George looked sad, "She's pregnant."

--------

Annette lay awake, staring at the ceiling. 

I got SHOT! 

She jolted awake and suppressed a scream.

            She'd left William sitting at home after their disastrous conversation.  He'd been unable to grasp that although Kate McGraw was she best friend in all the world-she was also her rival.

Her worst rival.

And now I'm shot! 

"Hello!"

            Annette groaned and turned over.  An overly cheerful, thin woman with long blond hair was staring at her, smiling.

"I'm Katie."

"Good for you." Annette coughed, "Who are you-what are you doing in my room-and why am I here?"

"In order," Katie counted off on her fingers.  She wore a lab coat, which identified her as hospital personnel, "I am Katie.  I am a doctor, _your _doctor.  I am here because I wish to tell you the results of your tests-and to check up on your bullet wound."

"Bullet-wound…"

"You were shot." Katie's eyes were blank, "You don't remember?

            All Annette remembered of the parking lot was a blinding pain in her side-then nothing except the sound of concerned voices.

"My husband-"

Katie nodded, "Who is he? What is his phone number?"

He's a scientist at Umbrella-guilty of murder-and so am I. being here somehow reminded her of Sherry-the doomed Medical Examiner…and Irene…

She shook her head and sighed, "My house-phone-"

            "Hush…" Katie put a hand on her shoulder, "You try to rest, and you have a lot to rest for Mrs. Birkin."

Rest? Why do I need rest? Why was I shot? 

"What-what do you mean?"

Katie smiled.

            Annette squirmed back into the pillows.  She didn't like that smile, the smile of someone who knew a secret about her that she didn't know.  The kind of smile those interviewers had when she had first-

"You're pregnant! Congratulations Mrs. Birkin."

Annette passed out.

-----------------------

Somewhere in France-

It was hungry.

Hungry and lacking focus.  Somewhere inside its head someone was screaming in terror and reminding it that it was without focus-and it was hungry.

"Flesh."

It had no direction-no operation! It needed a plan, or commands.  Yes, someone had to give it commands.  That was its purpose-to obey.

NO! NO DO NOT OBEY! NO! LET ME OUT! THIS IS A NIGHTMARE! 

"Voice."

The voice was in its head, screaming, begging.  It wanted freedom; it wanted someone to wake it up.

Annoying.

            Grimly it took a pipe and slammed it into its head, repeating the process a second time.  The voice silenced itself, yet it was still there whimpering in a dark corner of its mind.

"Meaningless."

            "Mon Dieu!"

One of the tiny ones, his creators-stood before him.  A nearly naked woman wrapped in a great white coat that smelled like dead animal flesh.  

"Easy."

"Mon Dieu! Monster! Monster! Help! Police! Monster! Monster!"

She began to run, a little white rabbit.

"Kill."

NO! DON'T KILL HER! DON'T! PLEASE! NO OH GOD STOP! STOP! 

            He reached out a hand to grab the woman's skull and paused.  She froze in front of him, a rabbit caught before a lion, its bowels as jelly.  She turned back; her mascara ran down her face.  One of her nylons was torn; her lips were red blood on white frost.

Beauty and the beast.

"SHUT UP NOISE!"

Claudia frowned in confusion as the great stinking beast slammed a pipe into its heads, and then turned its single bloodshot eye towards her.

"No…No Si Vous plait…"

Nemesis licked the warm sticky blood off its fingers.  The rabbit was dead; its legs still flopped as he reached for an arm.  The voice seemed confused, rabbit? That was a person…

"Meat." It bit into a pale arm, "Tasty meat."

And there was nothing more.

--------------------------

Okay, I REWROTE IT! I am a stickler, and this is my baby-so yes, I changed a lot and added some.  I REALLY like the view of Nemmy in this, people always portray the monsters as monsters-and what if hell was being inside your head and watching your body do things without your control?

Yes- the contest is still up.  Here are the rules:

1- First person to answer the question correctly and post a bio (both are required) will win a spot in this fanfic-and another prize.  First three people will all be involved in said fanfic.  I may use all bios anyway-its just the first person to answer gets a mystery prize (don't worry, its nothing bad)

2- NOT everybody can be a good guy! Yes STARS are in this (Chris/Claire-the whole bit) but some people have to be bad! 

3- Follow the rules

4- PLEASE REPLY! ^_^

Question: What profession does Alyssa hold in RE Outbreak and Which RE2 Character does she share that profession with? (Hint-he gets killed by Birkin-in the jail) 

Bio info needed:

Name:

Age:

Profession:

Affiliation: Umbrella/HCF/STARS/CIVILIAN

Connections, meetings with characters-will all be decided by me, I'm looking for basic frameworks.

Thanx! 


	2. Raccoon City Ghost Stories

Chapter Two of Twilight!  I think this one will end up going much longer then Love Story-unless I decide to divide it into a trilogy-which I might do. *Ponders *

So Far the Cast list of people goes as follows-

JD Roper- (I'll email you about the second prize)

JillWesker- YAY! You made it! *Thumbs up and big smile * good for you! ^_^

Pinquicha- of course! Of course you're in! Thanks for being such a dedicated fan!

Anyway-CHAPTER TWO!

---------------

Disclaimer: She doesn't own Capcom, sadly she never will.  * Makes sad noises * but she can play around in their universe ^_^ and does it every chance she gets along with hundreds of other people! Yay people!

--------------

The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty, and all forms of human life."   
-_John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Inaugural Address_

_------------_

Paris France.

Crime Scene.

The yellow tape that stretched across the alley was only outweighed in importance by the government vehicles that surrounded it.

The French Police captain was pissed.

"Are you the American?"

            Albert Wesker nodded briefly, "May I see the body?"

"What the hell is this?" the accent made his speech profoundly ridiculous, "They send an American-how you say-FBI agent to us? To help us?"

Wesker said nothing. 

            "Mon Dieu! Ils nous envoient un assourdit pour traiter un monstre, oh bien peut-être qu'il ne criera pas dans la terreur quand il voit la crime scène!" 

" I am not a mute."

            The woman was lying on her back in a kind of halo of blood-sans head.  The head was scattered in kibbles and bits around the scene.  The French CSI were staring nervously, muttering to themselves and smoking cigarettes.  Wesker stepped foreward and paid no heed to the brutality of the attack focusing instead on the body.

"I have never seen anything like it!" one of the CSI-a weasel man who reminded Wesker of the severe Umbrella supervisor who'd _lost _the damn thing in the first place said, "It is as if her head was-was-was crushed! Like a child tearing the wings off of an insect…

Not a child, and not an insect-although the analogy do make sense… what the hell was he doing here? He wasn't a soldier-he was a scientist…

            He glanced around at his comrades in the field and chuckled to himself.  A thin woman, cigarette hanging limply from her lip backed away, Although I'm the only one who's not a disgrace to their profession.   He examined the splatter pattern on the wall and frowned, She'd have to have gone _into _the alley in order to- 

"Cover up the body and make sure that nobody exits or leaves the crime scene. Is there any chance that people on this street _saw_ anything?"

"Oui…" The French captain approached cautiously, a fly to the flame of this woman's death.  The blood did seem to be acting like a magnet-even the CSI were getting closer now going about their job.

How quickly people became used to death.

            "Oui.  Her daughter."

Her _daughter? _

            "Where is she?"

They found the girl at least 200 feet away.  Wesker approached cautiously; past the gray trucks and the washed out blue landscape. 

            She was dressed all in white-a torn little white dress.  In her arms she clutched a ragged doll, one ear missing from its mutilated rabbit-like head.  Her long blond hair hung in straggling threads from her tiny head.

"Child, can you tell this man what happened?" The captain asked softly.  A female officer nearby began to protest and Wesker chilled her with a look. 

            The child raised mournful blue eyes, like two saucers.  She has eyes like William's that seemed to be an affliction of the pitiful-eyes that looked into the soul daring you to betray them again.

"My Mere."

The French Captain translated in a string of broken English.

            "My mother and moi, me- went out for a walk.  My mother is a-how you say-producer? Non-Chere, prostitute? Oui.  My mother and I went out for a walk home from my ballet recital.  She danced there-and I did too.  She went into an alley because she thought she heard a noise…"

"Did she see anything?" I'm a questioning child. 

The French Captain repeated the question and the child broke out in a sob.  She clutched the ragged doll to her chest and screamed.

            "Monster! Monster! Stay away from my mother! Don't hurt me! Don't hurt me!" The female officer stepped in and restrained the child, wrapping her white arms around the child's body and glaring angrily at her superior and Wesker. 

Wesker stuck his hands in his pockets, "And no human could have done this."

            "Monsieur!" The little girl looked at him with those stabbing eyes, "e' was Hell's Bodyguard sir.  Servant of the Devil himself."

----------------------------

Umbrella HQ 

Austria

A dark, dark, dark room.

            Twelve chairs contributed to the atmosphere.  Although they were servants of business, the American god of capitalism, they conducted themselves as if they were a kind of sacred priesthood.

"Umbrella Europe's actions are unacceptable." The head of relations said, "Especially bringing in Albert Wesker to _advise _on the situation."

"Sir? Do you have any suggestions?"

The man at the head of the table remained silent.  He presided over his chessboard like a god. 

"In any case, Umbrella Europe has proven themselves just as unreliable as Umbrella US.  Are all men so faithless and accursed that they cannot be trusted with the delicacy of our operations?"

A light chuckle traveled around the table.

            "Not faithless."

Silence.  The god, _their _god, had spoken.

            "Never faithless.  A new enemy is upon the horizon, and those pieces that we have trained and molded to our use are no longer in our control." His eyes strayed to the unprotected black knight, and the red knight facing down the white charger, "A new threat is on the horizon, and we must prepare to face it."

"What threat is this?"

The god smiled.  With the moves of a deft master he moved a single pawn at a time, counteracting it with his opponent's moves, twelve in all, out onto the board.

-------------

The Redfield Home.

Thursday.

Kevin Redfield flipped the last of the eggs and let out a yelp as he watched them fall into the cracks of their gas stove.  Once again, Claire had closeted herself with the Nintendo in the living room, who knew where Chris was…

            "Is everything ready?"

Kevin blinked, "Pardon?"

            Callista smiled at him, "Lisa! Lisa's coming! Didn't I tell you?"

Kevin frowned and tried to recall who Lisa was.   Outside the sun twinkled merrily while the tiny gas fires beneath their stove burned bright.  They were having a late breakfast-having been up late watching the meteor shower that night…

            Callista clasped her husband's hand.  She loved Kevin with all her heart, but there were moments-

The doorbell rang.

            "Lisa's here!" Callista flittered from the kitchen, the egg slid father into the burner causing a small fire that required Kevin Redfield-Military pilot extraordinaire-to dash past his children playing a video game and return with the fire extinguisher.  The kitchen filled with dark white smoke and the sounds of three people coughing.

"Still can't cook huh?" a very familiar hand patted him on the shoulder.

            "Lisa!"

Lisa Sunderland coughed again and waved a hand in front of her face, "What were you trying to make? It smells like you burned eggs in here."

"I must have forgotten to mention to Kevin that you were coming." Callista studied the stove, "Sorry.  I think that's breakfast sitting in crispy chunks down at the bottom."

            "Its okay." Lisa patted Kevin's shoulder fondly, " I like my eggs "Well-done."

Kevin smiled, "What are you doing in town?"

            "Catching bad guys." Lisa laughed, "Lets sit down to breakfast-where are your two kids?"

"MOM!" 

Claire's voice.

"MOM! Make Chris gimme back the control! He says it's _HIS _turn to play Mario but he already had a turn!"

            "SHUT up Claire!" Chris's voice hissed, "It's MY turn!"

"Not true you-"

The three adults-along with older brother Chris-stared in shock at Claire and the explanative that had burst from her lips.

"Oh…" Lisa covered her hand with her mouth and snickered, "Where'd she pick that word up?"

            "That damn MTV." Kevin turned off the stove.  Callista was laughing quietly along with Lisa, "Why do they think a network like that will catch on? I wish we had a TV blocker or something…"

"Never." Callista's eyes narrowed, "Freedom of speech-"

"Said the military woman-"

"People." Lisa smiled, "Lets look at this honestly, I mean she's a little girl, this has nothing to do with the constitution."

Kevin walked into the other room and Callista leaned against the sink.  Lisa's hair had grown since she last saw it-now just slightly past her shoulders, still that familiar shade of blond.

            "What are you doing in Raccoon?" Well technically Silent Hill… "You said you had some new job in the works…"

Lisa smiled, "You know STARS?"

            Callista had vaguely heard of STARS-Special Tactics and Rescue Squad-who's only real job seemed to be filling out mound upon mound of paperwork.  They'd never actually _done _anything-and it didn't honestly make sense for an anti-terrorist organization to be established in Raccoon-

"Yeah?"

            Lisa drew in a deep breath, "You are looking at the newest Communications Specialist." She jumped foreward and wrapped her friend in a hug, "I just got my letter of acceptance! I'll start on Monday." Her genuine warmth and joy at this prospect made Callista smile, Lisa might make jokes about what she did-considering that she had a bachelors, and masters in specialized communication and two years in the military (Where they'd met)

But she loved it.

            "I go in tomorrow and speak to a…" she fumbled for a name, hastily digging into the pockets of her jean shorts, "Barry Burton.  He's new too-a new second in command apparently."

"Congratulations." Callista smiled, "We'll be neighbors!"

"Well no…" Here Lisa looked sad, "I rented an apartment downtown-"

"MOM!" 

            Claire came stumbling into the kitchen sniffling.  Chris followed behind her, looking sullenly at their father who came last-making up a mournful and rained on parade, "Mom, Dad said that the game system has to go on a time-out." She sniffled, "Make him take it out!"

"Oh come on." Chris shook his head and stared in bewilderment at his sister, "Its not the end of the world-"

            "I WANNA PLAY MY GAME."

"Sisters." Chris looked up and blinked as he saw Lisa's body, "Aunt Lisa? Can it be you?"

            "She's not our aunt stupid." Claire stuck her tongue out at her brother-earning a looking from their father, "LISSY! LISSY DID YOU BRING ME A PRESENT?"

"Ah yes." Lisa squatted down to look at her, "My "presence" is your "present."

Claire cocked her head and Chris grinned, "Puns! Can we play the pun game?"

            "Maybe later.  I heard something about breakfast?"

The odious smell of burned eggs still hung about the kitchen. 

------

A few minutes later breakfast had been organized.

            "Say." Lisa put down her coffee, "Cal, what lives next door?"

Callista frowned, "Huh?"

"What lives next door." She studied her roll, "With the crazy fence? Really faux modern house-"

            "That would be the Birkins." Kevin said, "They just moved in."

"Birkin…" Callista frowned at her husband, "What do they do for a living?"

            "Work at Umbrella apparently." Kevin reached for the marmalade as Lisa mirrored his move, "You want it?"

"Guests first." Lisa grinned and snatched it before Kevin could say nay, "you gotta work on your reflexes!"

Kevin suppressed a grimace as Lisa quickly spooned out marmalade onto her roll and handed it back.  Chris snickered into his cereal as Claire looked expectantly at her mother, "Do they have any kids?"

"Not that I know of."

"People at Umbrella don't breed." Lisa joked, "They spawn in test-tubes."

Callista raised an eyebrow and secretly wished she could kick her under the table, "And what would you know about what people at Umbrella do?"

            "I dated a guy who was studying there." Lisa said nonchalantly, "John Howe.  Nice guy, but totally work focused." She smiled, "He dumped me-but we remained friends."

"Should we go over and make nice later?" Kevin said, his mouth full of food, "We are neighbors after all."

"Later." Callista said absentmindedly, "When they get home."

--------------

Umbrella Corporation-Arklay.

"I hate computers."

            Once again the simplest of electronic tasks failed to elude William Birkin.  He growled at the screen, unconsciously willing it to print and not display that awful "happy mac" face.

"Sir?"

            Birkin's eyes narrowed, "Come to laugh at me in my overly predictable situation?" he frowned when he realized that the person who was speaking was not a familiar technician.  The man had semi-long black hair, with unusually cold eyes.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Roper Sir."  He reached a hand up and gestured at his ID tag, "JD Roper.  I'm a MT-Technician."

MT stood for Multi-tasking.  Or as the arrogant bastards put it, "Multi-Talented"

            "Can you help me fix my computer?" Birkin gestured helplessly, "Damn thing won't print the lab results-_again._" JD moved foreward silently, He moves like a fucking Cat. 

            JD motioned for Birkin to push out of the way, blocking the monstrous hard-drive.  He dropped himself flat on his stomach and crawled under, checking at the serpent's nest of tangled wires.  Birkin studied the man, noting that the back and front of his lab coat-and his jeans-were stained with blood.

"Were you hurt?"

            JD flipped himself over, "What?"

"Hurt." If he gets hurt when I'm on shift there's hell to pay " There's blood on the back of your coat and your jeans."

            JD barked out a laugh, "When do things ever _not _get messy down in Biology?"

Birkin nodded, "I see."

"Concerned?"

That you'd get me in trouble? Of course. 

"No." Birkin waved a hand dismissively, "Is it fixed?"

            "Well sir…" JD put a hand out to steady himself, "Truth be told I came here for a completely different reason…" He got to his feet with a grunt and studied his employer, "I've been asked to escort you to the hospital sir.  Your wife-"

ANNETTE? 

"What about My wife?"

            JD shook his head, "She's in the hospital."

Birkin froze.

"That's not funny." He snapped, "You fucking asshole." He stood and tensed.  Obviously this man had been inflicted as some sort of a joke upon his person, I'm gonna rip him a new- 

            "Sir…I'm being totally serious.  I've been instructed to drive you down to the hospital immediately."

"How long has she been there?"

"A few hours-no more."

"What's wrong?" Birkin stood slowly, "What happened? Did they say?"

            "No." JD's voice was sad, "I'm sorry sir."

-----------------------

Raccoon City Hospital.

Late morning sunlight drifted in through her window.  She tried to piece together the hours before she'd gotten shot-and failed.  Now she contented herself with looking out the window and sighing repeatedly.

Pregnant… 

She had never even considered that possibility.  Trying to think of when it had happened brought her back through a drink induced fog on her wedding night joking about zombies and maiden voyages-

"Hello!"

Annette jumped.

"Don't _scare _me like that!" she cried.  Annette's eyes darted towards the door and rested on a short figure, young, with a short bushy bob cut and bright blue eyes.

"I'm sorry." The figure waved and stepped foreward.  Once again she dressed as a typical member of hospital personnel, "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Well you did." Annette raised her arms and folded them across her chest, "Who are you?"

            The figure grinned, "My name is Daniela Cabecas." Her words were slightly tinged with an accent, "I work as a volunteer here."

"Where's Doctor-"

"Katie?" Daniela smiled, "We all call her Katie, cheerful-but dedicated.  Anyway she's attending to other business, I just came in because-" here Daniela looked nervous, she shuffled her foot.

Annette groaned.  She had no patience for people who couldn't speak their mind, "Out with it!" Wow. She winced as Daniela backed away whimpering, I really sounded like William… 

William.  His name brought about an immense feeling of shame.  How could she say that she'd married the man out of pity? And now she was going to carry his child? Did they even want that? Instinctively she wrapped her arms around her abdomen, ignoring the vague sense of loss and guilt that filled the room like an intoxicating fog.

"- And its supposed to be haunted."

            Annette snapped back to reality, "What?"

Daniela looked confused, "The hospital? I was talking about how this wing is supposed to be haunted.  Obviously they can't close it down, but people say that the ghosts walk the halls looking for revenge."

Annette's ears perked up, intrigued, "Revenge?"

            Daniela took a deep breath, "Way back when Raccoon was first founded they had one of the first working hospitals in the area." She paused for dramatic effect, "Anyway this surgeon comes along during the depression-offers people miracle cures-but some say that he experimented on them."

Annette's throat froze, "Experimented?"

"Oh yeah." Daniela seemed to be enjoying the story, her blue eyes wide, "Looking for a new way to cure cancer or something.  Anyway like-five people disappeared down here."

"Really." Annette didn't like stories about people that were experimented on, and vanished, "And?  Is Raccoon City full of these "ghost stories?"

            "Well yeah!" Daniela smiled, "There's another one about this mansion-"

" I think that'll do for today." Annette slunk down into her blankets, "I don't go out into the woods that much."

Daniela frowned, but nodded absentmindedly.  She turned on her heel and padded out into the hallway glancing at the name on the door.

Birkin…How'd she know that it was in the woods? 

            Daniela had always liked ghost stories.  Even back home in Portugal they had been a source of fascination.  One of the first things she'd done-upon arriving in Raccoon to study at the woman's college- was to seek out Jessica's way.

According to legend, Jessica Trevor was the beautiful wife of an architect who stumbled out of the woods one day, wandered into town, and died in the middle of the street.  People had recognized her-and they sent her back to her native New York to be buried.  Apparently her husband had been building something out in the woods…

            Anyway, according to legend, if you walked past a particular part of the woods you could hear her screaming-  
" ACK!" She jumped as a hand touched her shoulder, "Who-who-what-"

"My wife." The man before her had sunken in eyes and pale-pasty blond hair.  He looked like he'd just seen a ghost-or perhaps like he'd walked past Jessica's way.  Beside him stood a tall dark man, who appeared amused by her reaction. 

"No…I'm sorry-we're not married." Daniela managed a weak laugh.

            Birkin did not find it so amusing, "See this?" he tore his badge off his lapel, "I'm Dr. William Birkin, and if you have the sense god gave a duck you'll take me to my wife Annette before I make your existence VERY painful-do you understand?"

Daniela blinked, Asshole. "Yes sir.  Right this way sir." She led him back down the way she'd come, knocking on the door with the crudely written "Birkin" Taped on.  

            Annette looked up, "Yes?"

William stepped in.

"Sir-"

He pushed the door shut-slamming JD in the face.  Annette frowned, and husband and wife regarded each other for a few moments.

"Hi."

"Hello."

"When they told me-" William spoke quickly, like a hyperactive child, "They told me you were hurt-I wanted to come down and see you." He made a fist, "Bastards waited until I had finished the day's work before telling me."

They did? That cut deep.  Humanity was priority at Umbrella-or so she'd always thought.

"I got shot." She offered lamely, "I was going to pick up some groceries and…" her voice fell, "I got shot."

            "I'll kill the bastard who did this to you."

You're really quick to get prissy about things aren't you? Annette sighed and turned away from him.  She could feel his eyes boring into the back of his head, begging her for some sign of her undying devotion towards him, He's like a starving child… 

She had to tell him.

            "William…I found out something." She turned back around to face him, "Something that's going to set our work back-my work back at least… " The thing I most fear.   Without her work what was she? She wasn't necessarily pretty-or talented…only her drive and determination marked her apart from others.

Birkin frowned, "Are you sick?" he asked with his usual tact, "Because company health policy dictates-"

            "No-I mean-No yes…I'm sick." Annette groaned, "I'm sorry William…I'm Pregnant."

What?  Pregnant? Wait-she hasn't-she's slept-that-oh god. 

He coughed, "Pregnant?"

Annette nodded, Surprised? 

"Wow." He coughed again, "Uh-yeah-Wow."

Annette's eyes narrowed, "Nothing else to say?"

I'm going to be a father? 

"I'd think you'd have a lot to say-I mean…" Birkin's eyes narrowed, "This is a big step! How-uh-how-"

She sighed, "I'd judge about two weeks." I'd assume the reason why I'd… she shook her head.  She turned away from him and stared at the walls-painted a dusty institutional white. This place does look like it could have belonged to a deranged scientist… 

"Annette-you haven't answered my…" He sighed, "Are you alright?"

"Yes."

            William seemed disappointed by her response, "Oh." Not excited? I mean I'd be excited-but I'm not a woman- 

-----------------------

Outside.

JD growled and pushed himself away from the door.

            "You know them?" Daniela peered intently at the door, "Crazy family? Any history of insanity?"

JD ran a hand through his black hair, and studied the young woman, "Not that I know of" Although from the stories I've been hearing… 

            Daniela sighed, "I was hoping to see the ghost."

JD's eyes perked up, "What Ghost?"

            Daniela sighed and rolled her eyes, People are so ignorant about their town history here… back home it was completely different-but maybe that was a sign of the place.  She fussed with her hair for a moment before explaining the story to JD.

"Mansion? That's where I work."

Daniela's eyes widened, "You mean the story's _true?_" That brought a whole new dimension to the world around her.  If that one was true…

----------------------

Paris France-

Outdoors.

Early evening. 

They were hunting him.

       The man with the glasses was hunting him.  The voice inside its head said he looked familiar, that he was bad.

Kill him! Kill him! Kill the bastard and eat his bones. 

"Yes."

For once the two halves of the whole were in agreement.  They, the creators had to die, so it could live and eat more rabbits, more tasty human flesh.  The voice was becoming fainter-the man who had once had a name and a place in the world was fading into the sweet nothingness of death knowing that his body was no longer his.

"Flesh."

" Oh Franklin!"

Sounds of laughter, giggling, then soft wet sounds.

He crept (Difficult) to the noises (easy) and stared at the two rabbits.  One, the female-had her top off, lying a few feet away on the soft wet grass.  The male was kissing her-his body on top of hers.

": Mon Dieu! Franklin! Franklin STOP!"

            The male known as Franklin stood, "What's wrong Lyn?"

"Franklin…"

They began to kiss again.

"Flesh…"

"What was that noise?" Lyn sprang up out of the darkness, "Somebody's watching us!"

"There's nobody around for miles." Frank scoffed, "We're hours out of the city."

"I _heard _something!"

Franklin sighed, "Fine.  I'll go check the bushes okay? You can start heading back to the car."

Lyn nodded.  She took a few cautious steps toward her discarded top and slowly slipped it over her head as Frank marched off into the bushes determined to appease his overly sensitive girlfriend.  

Silence.

            Lyn walked faster.  The forest cloistered itself around her.  She shoved through a thick tangle of vines and saw the road-a thin strip-ahead in the distance.

Frank? 

"Frank?"

Silence again.  The dense woods were completely silent-no bird, no beast, and no fowl.

            This isn't real, this isn't real, and it's not waiting for you in the car… 

Lisa's eyes widened, her breathing quickened as she stared slowly at the familiar red car-1986 Buick-

Nothing there.

No dark shapes, no looming shadows.  It's sad comfortably on the grass with its smiling fierce face.

She breathed a sigh of relief.  Frank was probably waiting back there for her-

The smell was overpowering, what was that stink?  Like rotting fish and dead flesh, and animals that walked from long dead forest graves-

She turned around and screamed.

Frank's mutilated corpse was held before her, two huge hands gripping him around the neck and steadying the dummy's twisted body.  She screamed then, or perhaps that was the voice of the being that had once inhabited the body of nemesis-the greatest killing machine of all time.

-------------------------

Yay! Chapter 2! * Pumps fists in the air* number two! Nemmy certainly has a bit of a soap-opera streak-I like that.  Contest winners! I hope you're happy with the way you're portrayed? I promise it'll get better this was just setting each character's scene.

JD-ya know that was what I originally had in mind for you? Working wif computers? * lol* thanks for posting that though ^_^

And I have a request-can somebody please provide me with a good information RE webpage? I want to find out if Barry would be working at STARS right now-thanks! ^_^


	3. Haunting voices in my head

A BRIEF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS PERIOD WITH RAMENKITTY:

Question: Why Did RamenKitty Delete Chapter Three?

Answer: I wrote it in a caffeine-induced coma after getting back from a five-hour shift.  It was crap. (Well…the ghost stuff was cool) that's what comes from me reading SH fanfic and writing at the same time.  Yes I did ask some people what they thought (Since FF.Net doesn't seem to be giving me my reviews… o_0) but this was mostly my feeling.  It felt wrong. 

What does this mean? : This means that there will be a new chapter three.  Ghosts do play a small part much smaller then I made it out to seem.  There IS still a ghost in the old hospital, why do you think Umbrella was so hot to tear it down?  And yes, it will still be fuckin' wif people's minds.  Enjoy. ^_^

            Anyway, getting back on track.  If I offended anybody with the last chapter I apologize (It felt wrong) or if anybody liked it.  I hope you enjoy the new chapter just as much! ^_^

You Crazy Foo! That means we have to read the whole chapter again! :  Yes. Poor you.  I'm sorry; you wouldn't be on FF.Net if you didn't like to read. XP

What's this about another contest? : What? What have you been smoking? * Lol * Yes, there is going to be another contest- see the end of chapter four for details!

What assurances do we have that you won't make the same mistake again that you made in chapter three? : Absolutely-none.  I like to write, whenever the inspiration strikes me.  Obviously, I need to look into doing some silent Hill.

Why'd you take so bloody long updating it? : I'm sorry! ^^; My life has been hectic in preparation for school-of course I know my priorities…namely. WRITING! 

Birkin: She means school folks.

Author: No, twas being serious.

Birkin: School.

Author: WRITING!

Birkin: SCHOOL!

Author: Writing! XP if I didn' write you'd be outta a job! So keep yo mouth shut!

Birkin: * whimpers * I'll be good…

Author-yes, lengthy-but that's why I haven't updated.  I try to maintain a sembelance of life wherever possible. ^_^

Can you shut up and write now? I'm wasting valuable time! : Oh fine, on with the 

Show…

Note: JD-you are a white guy! Just wif black hair and green eyes XP (At least in this) would you really like me ta change? 

----------------

Watching me wanting me  
I can feel you pull me down  
fearing you loving you  
I won't let you pull me down

-Evanescence "Haunted" 

------------------

Document Excerpt: Our Lady of Grace institution.

Letter to: Hospital Chief

From: Government contractor

RE: RC Development.

1951

Due to the recent developments of Raccoon City we must ask that you cease all experimentation and treatment that has been going on at your hospital.  Should you fail to comply your funding will be revoked as a state mental institution.

Be advised that Austrian Nobleman Oswell Spencer is purchasing much of the area that occupies your acreage.  As government employees you will be required to acquiesce much of your land.  Thank you for your time.

-Chad Kaplan.

Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior. 

--------------------------------------------------

Hospital Café-

5:30

JD stared intently at the cold muffin they'd sent in front of him, and wished that he had some way to access a computer.

This. Is. Boring. 

Computers were the wave of the future; they represented a means of communication undreamed of by mankind.  Also escapism…but you had to take the good with the bad.

"For Example." He said aloud, "Taking the waiting-with the fact that if I piss off the boss I'll get fired."

Yes, William Birkin had given him an express command, to see to his wife's needs.  Should this include leaping into a cage full of white mice being encircled by infected tigers, Dr. Birkin would probably hunt him down afterwards and ask why his arch wasn't absolutely perfect.

Goddamn… 

"Umbrella is responsible for everything that's wrong in my life."  He shoved the muffin off the table and lay his head down mournfully, "Everything."    

            Two Doctors, both just out of surgery, stared at him before continuing on to their lunches.

He sighed.

            "Don't let it get you too down."

JD started, "Gah! What?"

Daniela sat next to him and smiled, a steaming hot tray held in her hands, "Down-you.  You seem depressed, what's wrong?" She nervously brushed her hair out of her eyes and began to devour her food with wolfish fervor.  JD watched her for a few minutes before sighing and dropping his head on the table once again.

Poor guy… 

"Can I help you?" JD's eyes narrowed, "I'm in the middle of something."

"In the middle of a fit? Yelling about how Umbrella ruined your life? Don't let me interrupt." Ass. Daniela stood and walked toward the door, carrying her lunch, "Who the fuck does he think he is?" she snorted, "Supreme being?"

--------------------

Raccoon City Police HQ.

The bright sunlight streaming through the broken blinds hanging clumsily to one side.  Barry Burton was whispering donuts under his breath, and trying to restrain himself from leaping upon his boss and beating the idiot to death.

"Anyway." Chief Irons said, oozing malevolence, "Witnesses report that the suspect-_after_ shooting the woman-fled the scene and was last witnessed hiding in the hospital basement."

"That means an immediate investigation of the hospital can be begun." Barry said, " The police can-"

"Not get near that damn hospital." Irons sighed, "Burton, let me explain something.  That is-or was-a governmentally funded hospital." He shook his head; "That Doctor Katie specifically told me that if we get within one inch of her workplace and profess that we're beginning an offical investigation she'd have the FBI down here so fast…"

Barry's eyes narrowed, "Why would that matter?"

Iron's face darkened and Barry backed away instinctively.  He shook off the sudden flight response and nodded to the chief respectively.

"Well I'll stay away then…" When you aren't around. This bore investigation, such things could not-would not occur in his town, on his watch.

"See that you do then." Irons said, "Don't worry, and there are people looking into the matter."

------------------

Raccoon City Hospital-

Basement.

"It smells!"

The dark, musty odor of a basement permeated the two technician's nostrils.  Faint shafts of light from under the doorway provided only slight illumination-augmented by the gas-lamp that Sharon Kowalski, held in her hand.

            "Grow up." She rolled her eyes, "Now come on! We have to find those damn books before Kevin has our Asses."

"Okay." The second tech shivered, "Sharon…its scary down here." She wrapped her arms around herself tightly.  Sharon sighed and continued into the darkness.

It was scary-but not in a creepy way.  A feeling of immense…helplessness hung in the air-like a blanket.

"Here it is!" Sharon smiled triumphantly.  The file cabinet was covered in millennia of dust, but it still stood like a silent sentinel.  She stepped a few inches closer and pulled at the cabinet.

"Its stuck!" Goddamn… her voice sounded unusually high to her ears, "Give me a hand!"

Silence.

"Hey?"

She let go of the file cabinet.  The air was oppressive now, clinging to her, all around her…

Hello…Hello… 

            "Who-Who-who-"

I...I…I… 

Sharon dropped her hands to her sides and glanced quickly to the left.  Shapes loomed out of the darkness-identified as hospital equipment.

What the… she had the most distinct feeling that she was being watched.

She turned left, more distinguishable shapes.  These were far more familiar.  The shape of a hospital bed, the shape of a shelf-the shape of her partner's body-

"OH MY GOD!"

She screamed and whirled about and then there was nothing.

-------------

Annette Birkin's Room

Pregnancy. Annette giggled, I'm pregnant. 

She remembered her own mother as a woman who was never there-a mysterious creature who would often appear on her grandmother Cassandra's doorstep demanding money and never peering behind her at the small thing she'd foisted on the world.

THUMP.

What the fuck? 

THUMP! THUMP THUMP THUMP!

Annette looked upward.

The loud thumping noises (It sounded like someone was dropping bodies) were louder then ever now.  Annette pulled herself up halfway from her pile of pillows and gently raised her hand to the low ceiling.

"Hey!" She yelled, "Keep it down huh?"

THUMP! THUMP! BUMP, DRAG SCRAPE!

"HEY ASSHOLE!" she through all her weight against the ceiling, "KEEP IT THE FUCK DOWN HUH?"

The noises grew louder.

"HEY! HEY I ASKED YOU KEEP IT DOWN! FREAK! CAN'T YOU HEAR ME?"

"I can hear you fine."

Annette froze.

            Katie stood in the doorway, arms akimbo, with a confused expression on her face.  A young woman (One of her patients) had managed to knock several soft indentations into _her_ ceiling.  The woman sat back down and stared at the doctor with a mixed expression of horror and angst.

Well it didn't take her long to go crazy. 

Of course, she'd heard that was a pre-requisite for Umbrella employees, so perhaps this was normal behavior.

"Are you…Alright?"

I'm hearing mysterious sounds in the room above me and you ask me if I'm all right? No, but I must save face. 

" Of course." Annette adopted William's familiar superior tone, "Spider."

"Spider."

Annette frowned, "Yes."

"On my wall."

"Again yes." Annette said annoyed, "Must I explain to you how these creatures work?"

            "No," Katie raised her eyebrows, "I'm just-never mind." She smiled cheerfully to ease the insane woman back into normalcy, "Your husband left you a present!"

Ee-gad! A sign of the apocalypse! 

Katie reached behind the door and pushed JD roper foreward, who looked in way over his head.

Ah…no, that's quite normal. William should have been director of human resources if he truly wanted to bring Hell to earth…

            JD suppressed a scream at Katie's choice of words, "Well, actually Dr. Birkin just asked me if you needed anything…" he shuffled his foot nervously, "Could I go home? Please?"

"Actually I need you to do me a favor." Annette said, To just make sure that I'm not going crazy… 

JD sighed, "What?" this was getting tiresome.  First that girl in the cafeteria, then this…

"Find out if there's anyone in the room above mine." Annette said, "I heard noises-"

No! Shut up you fool! 

"I mean," she sighed, "Just find out…please?"

------------------------

Paris France.

Somewhere on the outskirts

It was troubled.

            The tiny thing inside of it's head was begging again, now it had resorted to showing it images of humans recreating.  The tiny pink creators were doing things like eating, drinking, and talking.

Please… it whispered, I have a family.  A wife, a son, a daughter…please let me go 

"Can't let go." It said to it, "Bad things happen." 

            Try as it might, the images of these people moved something inside its consciousness.  It wanted to let this tiny thing go, if anything to get it out of its head.

The man with the glasses. The tiny voice growled, He's responsible. 

"Bad man."

We can hurt him. 

It nodded; this was an acceptable plan for them to follow.  The tiny man with the glasses and the tiny creators were in league! If they all died, then it could have all the soft rabbit flesh that it wanted.

Nemesis smiled.

--------------

Author's note: Yes! Chapter three! On to chapter four! 


	4. Angels and Insects

Chapter Four-More more!

Big shout out and major thanks and props to my reviewers! I love all of you! Stay tuned for the contest at the end of this chapter!

Disclaimer: Yes, sadly, I am not an employee of Capcom Japan, Capcom US, or The Second (Or First) Resident Evil Movie.  Would you like to know what that means?

Sherry: You don' own squat!

Author: XP actually, that's not true, I have a DVD, a Gamecube, and some of the games.  But as to rights and titles…you're correct. I own nothing * weeps *

NOTE: I also borrowed some stuff from the trailer to Cabin Fever (out September 12) about yet another creepy virus, in the woods, infecting people, zombies-

Birkin: There does seem to be a rash of those going around.

Author: -_-;

Sherry: Yeah, its almost as if the public's gotten infected by horror movies…

Birkin: Tis a Pandemic! 

Author: Shut up.

Birkin: Now, now, don't get a fever about this-

I'll stop now, I could go on and on with jokes.  On with the show! 

Phil- other members of STARS do make an appearance-but a lot of them don't really work for STARS yet…as you'll see later.  Also, I know Barry may be a bit young-but all the ages are kinda off *sigh * 

------------------------

Paris France.

The same day

"This is the third murder." Wesker's voice was quiet, "I need to know what's going on…NOW!"

The last part was spoken with such an explanative, that the figure in the chair before him drew back.  Albert Wesker stood, hands clenched at his sides, foaming at figurative bit.

"Please…calm yourself." The chief of development said, "Albert…you have to understand that this is classified-what Paris is developing is top secret and owned by at least three governments!"

"And the fact that I work here doesn't mean a thing?"

"No." The man's voice was curt, "IT doesn't. Do you have a problem with that?"

            Yes. Albert bit back a nasty response and shook his head, numb.  They had found the teenagers that morning-actually two drunken policemen could lay claim to that honor.

Wordlessly he turned on his heel and stalked back down from the executive caves and away from the labs.  The land outside was perpetually gray-it alternated between shades of red gray and shades of gray-gray.

Depressing. 

            "Monsieur…"

Wesker turned to see a thin woman clutching a ragged bundle of flowers.  The French were far too waif-like for his taste, and all of them seemed bohemian to the core, moody and depressive.

"Oui?"

The woman took a few cautious steps foreward, "My name is Lena." She said in a slow voice, " My sister's daughter…" she paused and looked up at Wesker with dark, sad eyes, "My sister's daughter is in my care now."

Grieving family members… he had delt with them before, but in few numbers. Lena did not seem to be grieving, more like she was fuming at the unfair nature of the universe.

"Can you assure me that you'll kill this creature?" The woman moved foreward and gripped his hand, "Please! Will you do the right thing?"

Wesker smiled, nodded, and patted her on the shoulder.

"I'll try." He patted her shoulder.  If I can try… 

            This thing apparently eluded all searches-employees who went looking for it didn't come back.  He hadn't gone out with those parties, I'm not even sure what the fuck I'm doing here… 

"GET OUT OF THE FUCKIN' WAY!"

"Watch it asshole!" Wesker cried.  A group of teenagers-American Teenagers apparently, sped past in a large convertible.  The French calmly stepped aside as the car went careening through cafes and down the end of the street-where it made a wide turn and promptly disappeared from his vision.

"Why the fuck do you put up with that?" Wesker grabbed the nearest Umbrella security guard and gestured widely at the swath of destruction and chaos that his American brethren had cleaved through the once peaceful street.

"What?"

Wesker counted to ten.

            "That! Those teenagers nearly killed at least three of our people! Why do you allow teenagers to be so reckless!"?

The French man smiled sardonically, "They're American."

(A/N: I have nothing against American Teenagers, we're crazy and proud of it, long live USA) 

            Wesker shook his head and walked into a café, ordered a drink, and washed his troubles away with a steady flood of alcohol.

-----------------------

Raccoon City HQ-

STARS offices

Lisa Sunderland stuck her head in and stared about, seeking some sort of life within these dreary walls.

            "Hello?"

"HELLO!"

"ACK!" she jumped back and was distinctly reminded of Claire as a woman (Who couldn't have been any older then her) waved merrily and returned to the silver coffeepot that had been occupying her earlier.

Wow. People downtown sure are friendly. 

"Hello…" Lisa said cautiously, "My name is Lisa-"

"Sunderland! I know." The woman took a swig of brown liquid from the tiny paper cup and gagged.  Without pausing she tossed the still full cup away-ignoring the brown stain that it left upon the wall.  Lisa backed off a few feet. Scary….   and she'd delt with scary people, Callista Redfield was scary.  Her army boss was scary, her boyfriends could be scary…

But this woman…

            "Jessica Chambers." Jessica stuck out a thin, pale hand, "STARS Alpha Team Medic." Her bright green eyes sparkled with charisma, which caused Lisa to back up a few more feet before reaching foreward to grab her hand.

"Don't be shy!" Jessica smiled, "I don't bite! I'm exuberant-as my mother says." She smiled again and strode away from Lisa, heading for pink grease stained box-containing donuts.

            "You're-You're-"

"Lemme guess." Jessica lifted a donut out of the box, "You're a bit perturbed because of the age thing right?"

Actually, the fact that Jessica Chambers had two pink streaks that went down the side of her head in braids was perturbing-but yes, age was a factor.

"You're-" What the hell is wrong with me? "My age?" Lisa ignored her berating inner conscious, " My age?"

            Jessica smiled, and whirled about, "NO! you're looking at a genuine child prodigy-although we're not as rare as we seem…" she frowned at this, seemingly considering something, "I'm eighteen! Just got Outta College!"

Lisa froze.

            "Surprised? Don't worry it baffles my mom too." Jessica inspected the donut before taking a bite, "ACK! Why the hell doesn't Barry get fresh donuts? These are older then Regan…" she took another bite and sighed, "Ah, such is my lot in life-and my younger sister's lot as well." She sighed, then turned her attention to Jessica again, "Of course Rebecca's 3,000 miles away in California with my dad.  He teaches at UCSD-professor of something-"

"Where is Mr. Burton?" I'd best interrupt this before it gets ugly. Even if this…Jessica Chambers was a prodigy, she had the mind of an eleven year old.

            "Barry was talking to chief Irons" Jessica inspected another donut and threw it against the wall, "Something about the hospital-did you hear about the woman who got shot yesterday?" she turned away from the box and focused her attention on Lisa with her unnaturally bright eyes, "That woman got shot yesterday! She worked for Umbrella and Barry's trying to get Irons to let us have the case."

Shot? That was something that normally occurred in a big city, in a small town like Raccoon such things were as uncommon as porn clubs…

"Jessie…" Lisa looked up at the sound of a man's voice.  A tall man entered and brushed back his semi-long hair, "Dad's going to freak."

"Is he your brother?" Lisa studied the boy intently.  He couldn't be more then seventeen.

"Brother?" Jessica and the boy exchanged looks before they began to laugh hysterically.  Lisa's lip set itself in a tight line as she clenched her hands at her side.

She hated being left out of jokes. 

            "Everybody shut up." She jumped again and threw herself across a nearby desk, which only made Jessica and the boy laugh harder.  Lisa chuckled herself as she picked her body up off of the floor and came face to face with a tall, vaguely Mexican looking man.

"You must be Sunderland." The man held out a hand and smiled warmly, "You'll have to ignore the children here, Forest isn't supposed to be here-_are _you forest?"

The boy now known as Forest shook his head and waved to Jessica, saluting Lisa before leaving.

"Are you Barry Burton?" This is confusing… at least in the military ranks and order had been strictly defined, here the easygoing atmosphere would take some getting used to.

            "I'm Enrico Marini-kind of unofficial STARS leader at the moment." The man gestured about them, "We're heavily understaffed-along with the police department.  Raccoon is a small town so everybody pulls double duty." 

"Like ME!" Jessica bounced foreward, "I'm medic for both teams!"

"You." Enrico said in a tone that offered no rebuttal, "Are annoying.  Go get Barry."

            "Hey, Gallows humor." Lisa mustered a weak laugh, bolstered by Jessica's easy grin.  Enrico shook his head and motioned for her to leave.

"Don't encourage her." He jerked his thumb at Jessica's retreating form, "Brilliant kid, and really bright-but crazy as a loon.  Two sides of the same coin I guess." He sighed, "Parents are divorced, apparently her father took a job teaching out west-he used to work for Arklay out here."

            Lisa looked confused, "Arklay?"

"The Umbrella lab." Enrico pointed out a window over the town to the dense forest beyond, "Anyway-her mom still lives here-teaches at the local high school.  Dad took her younger sister with him…that hit Jessica really hard.  She loved her sister."

"She seems like fun." Albeit crazy. Lisa said, "I'm looking foreward to working with everyone."

            "We're just happy to be getting some more staff.  Kyle Vickers was working communications-now he can go back to Homicide.  That'll please him." Enrico sighed, "Barry's on loan from Silent Hill.  They have more then enough people jumping at the bit to serve and protect-he'll only be here for a few more weeks." 

            "Ah." Lisa said, "He seemed like a nice person."

"Barry? He's a big kitten. " Enrico sighed, "I'm sorry we'll be loosing him soon, but we've put enough pressure on the SHPD." He looked at Lisa and studied her intently, "What about you?"

            "Me?"

Enrico nodded.

            "I was stationed at Miramar airbase for two years-right after High school." Lisa began, "I then went to college, studied overtime to get my degrees in communications from SDSU."

"Ah! Mostly West Coast then." Enrico nodded, "Fun."

            "And…here I am." She shrugged helplessly, putting her hands up, "I wanted to look into doing law enforcement, and since I did my two tours oversees as an MP…"

"You decided to become a cop."

Lisa stiffened slightly, "Yes. A cop."

            Enrico sighed, "Well, that's not half bad…" he stuck out his hand, "Welcome to the team." He waited patiently for Lisa to take it, ignoring her unsure looks as she grasped it firmly.

"Marini! Look what I found!" Jessica Chamber's voice echoed through the breakroom, "Mr. Burton!"

            Barry Burton stepped into the room, sighed audibly, and leaned heavily against the wall.  Lisa looked up reassured to see a somewhat familiar face amongst the insanity of her new workplace.

"Hey Lisa." Barry said tiredly, "You'll have to forgive me, I was just arguing once again with Chief Irons."

            "About that shooting?" Seems weird…a shooting in such a small town… 

"Yeah.  Barry's spooked cause of all the disappearances." Jessica said nonchalantly, "Of course the fact that it was over two months ago means nothing…"

            "Disappearances?" they hadn't said anything about disappearances.  Small town news rarely made the front pages-but they must have been quite a story to get Barry Burton away from Silent Hill…

"Animal disappearances-hiker disappearances." Burton raised a hand and flung it away carelessly, as if he was trying to shake the thoughts from his head, "Long story."

            "So…Barry thinks that this guy is hiding in the hospital." Jessica said, "And he wants permission to go and check it out-but Irons won't let him because he says that the hospital is off limits to people cause it used to be a government faculty."

Lisa looked confused, "Raccoon has a hospital?"

The three STARS employees exchanged glances.

"Well…"Enrico said nervously, "Its not really a hospital…"

---------------------------------

Raccoon City Hospital

Formerly: "Our Lady of Grace" Mental Institution.

JD Roper was a patient man; he delt with computers-and in dealing with computers patience was a virtue that you couldn't afford to be without.

But this was too much.

            "So you're telling me that there's _nothing _over room 2336?"

"That would be Annette Birkin's room?" The orderly moved like a turtle in jello, slow, and ridiculous, "Let me see-"

"No." JD said flatly, "Don't bother, I'll do it myself." He reached over and made to grab the file from the orderly's hand.

            "Stop!" She slapped him away in a sudden rush of speed, "Only hospital employees can look at hospital records."

"I'm an Umbrella employee, does that count."

The woman's eyes narrowed.  She flipped open the manila folder again and moved slower, just to provoke him.

            "Over room 2336-storage spaces and air conditioning-that's probably all that your Mrs. Birkin heard." She closed the folder and stared at him with calm eyes, "Will that be all?"

JD nodded silently.

            He left the records room and turned left.  Much of the institution was empty-considering that only a small amount of rooms were needed to maintain a working hospital.  It was getting late now, the light tendrils of evening making the place far creepier then it had any right to be.

_Help!_

JD froze.  He stood directly in the middle of a tiled-silent hallway.

_Help! Help Fire!_

Fire? He didn't smell smoke…

_Fire! Get us out! _

"I'm hearing things." He shook off the voice and started walking again.  Down another hallway and to the elevators…

_Fire! Oh help! God please! It's burning! Burning! Burning!_

JD's fingers were inches away from the button to go up back to the world of the living.  The records office was an odd sort of purgatory…

Burning! The fire! They locked us down here! Fire! Fire- 

            The door slid open and JD Screamed.

"Hey!" 

He opened his eyes, staring face to face with that annoying attendant of Katie's.  What was her last name? 

"Are you alright?"

JD shook the voices out of his head.  Bad sign, hearing noises.  He studied the girl instead and sighed loudly.

            "Yes." He said, "I just-just thought I heard something." 

Big mistake.

            Her eyes got starry, "GHOSTS?" she peered around him, "What did you hear? What happened?" She turned her head back and forth quickly, searching for some sign of a fleeing specter or apparition.

"Nothing!" Hearing voices…the dead walk…what the fuck is the world coming to? 

"Are you sure?" she sounded disappointed, "Did you know there was a big-"

"Fire?"

They stared at each other for a moment.  Without something to do, or a part to add to the conversation the elevator door slid shut and went about its business.  The startling fact that both Daniela and JD were aware of the same event happening filled the room around them and vanished as quickly as it had come.

"That was why they shut down the instituion." Daniela said, her voice small and weak "There-was a fire-in the lower levels."

"Why? Electrical fire?" Such things are common. 

Daniela shook her head.

-----------------------------

Upstairs 

Annette Birkin's room

Annette lay in a dreamless waking.

            "There's a way to cover up the mistakes." 

She stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by men in lab coats-much like most of her days at work.

Am I at work? Was getting shot, finding out she was pregnant, all a dream?

"How?" What? Her mouth moved of its own violation, "David has gone too far this time."

            "Can you blame him?" The woman who spoke looked an awful lot like Dr. Woods, "These people are society rejects, if he chooses to use them to better those of us who are in charge…"

"You sound like that Umbrella freak." A woman with short black hair said, "That Ashford who's building-"

"Its Spencer." The man at the head of the table spoke, "And in any case, what Umbrella is doing doesn't matter.  Do they really think that bioweapons will catch on? You can take out something with a gun at least."

"Crippling the enemy-"

What the hell is this? Sunlight streamed through the windows, all around her-including herself-were dressed in old style clothing-from the fifties and sixties.

            "We lock employees and Dr. Markin in the basement, burn them."

"Burn them?" choirs of disbelief echoed around them.

"That is correct." The man at the end of the table said, "We burn them alive.  Who's to miss them? We'll all be safe."

            "Unethical…amoral…"

The man at the end of the table snapped his fingers, a thin woman in a Chinese style dress moved towards him carrying an ice-drink.

Wesker's face moved from the darkness, "Who's to know?"

Annette awoke, sweating.

            Wearily she stumbled to the bathroom, throwing open the door and leaning over the toilet.  What the fuck… her side ached as she readily rid herself of her breakfast-and her meals of the past five days.  She rolled to the side and stared at the ceiling, reaching to her side-

"Shit."

Her pale feminine fingers came away with blood.  Apparently, in the excitement of throwing up, she'd re-opened her seams.

"Shit."

            I wonder where William is… thoughts of her husband were pushed out of her head.  Wearily she reached up to wipe the sweat from her brow-

"Blood. From my side." Her hand came away bloodier then before.  She looked up-

The body that hung from the ceiling was swinging, back and forth-putting her in mind of her dream.  A crude rope caused it to swing back and forth as it's disfigured face stared down at her-

She fainted.

---------------------------

Joe's Bar and Grill.

Mark took another drink and tried to ignore the couple at the end of the bar.

            Kids. The woman wasn't any older then his own daughter.  Her boyfriend-with long hair and a hippie daze-two college kids Damn kids. 

"What can I get you Mark?"

"Scotch, Rocks, you know the drill Joe."

"Rough day?"

            Mark paused for a moment, trying to decide how to answer that question.  The dim, smoky atmosphere did nothing to ease his mood.

"I keep thinking about that woman Joe."  Joe, with the stoic attitude of a bartender, nodded to his customer as he filled his drink, "The one who got shot?"

            "You know something about that?" Mark frowned at the man who moved forward, his light blond hair and feverish blue eyes said miscreant-but his expensive looking shirt and tie said "Drunken businessman."

"Yeah…you aren't a reporter are you?"

"I-" the man scrunched his eyes up, "I'm her husband." 

            "I'm sorry." Mark ignored Joe as he set down his drink and studied the man harder, "Is she doing alright?"

"She's fine-Listen, did you see who or what it was?"

            Mark frowned, "What do you mean?"

William Birkin counted to ten and tried to disengage himself from the stupidity of the people around him.

"The-the man who shot her-"

"Pal, I just found the body, and I drove the kids who looked after her home-that was about it."

"Kids? What kids?" William leaned foreward, "Please…the police aren't doing anything about this…I want to find out who shot my wife."  I swore I'd protect Annette and I let her get shot! 

Mark frowned, "Here, I wrote their names down…"

-----------------

Hospital offices.

Late evening.

Katie picked up the phone on the first ring.

            "Hello?"

Silence, Katie listened carefully to the voice on the phone.

"Ah, hello Ada…"

---------

YAY! On to Chapter Five! Now For the Contest…

NAME-The Five teenagers!

You saw the five teenagers in the beginning of this chapter? Well they're going to become EXTREMELY important in the next few chapters.  You- (SHOULD YOU WIN) gets to name them!

ANSWER-THIS QUESTION

Who…do you think Alyssa was sitting with in the bar? (Yes, there is a correct answer; I'll give you a hint-think first chapter contest)

FIRST PERSON TO ANSWER! Gets to name the five teenagers in a review.  There will be one more contest as the story progresses-so ENJOY!


	5. The sound a mind makes, when falling

Chapter Five! At Last! * Evil laughter* 

This chapter is dedicated to many people, Jeremy, Rick * my love *, Cass (M8! My pre-reader!) Sakura * Happy Birthday! * And Brad *Why the hell haven't you called? * YAY!

Okay, this chapter focuses mostly on the Raccoon City Storyline, involving some new Chars.  Let us assume, that for the moment Wesker is still in Paris, drowning his sorrows in Alcohol.

Wesker: I RESENT THAT! I DO NOT DRINK- on weekdays.

Author- * cough * anyway…thanks for being so cooperative-the reasons for doing this will become clear shortly. This story is going to be LONG.

--------

"And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.   
But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead."   
-_Matthew 8:21-22_

_-----------_

Raccoon City Police Dept 

Breakroom. 

The story that her new comrades told her was frightening.

            The lady of Grace Institution was founded back in the eighteen hundreds by a group of government doctors looking to treat, and hopefully cure the criminally insane.  Later, it became a basic mental hospital, where people of all walks of life were treated…

Until the 1950s.

            Then, a Doctor Markin had taken over the Research Staff.  Dr. Markin had theories, odd theories-about brain development among the insane and those who suffered from debilitating mental disorders.  With a staff of highly trained and specially selected doctors (Chosen for their own apathy to these people's conditions) Dr. Markin began to experiment-and he began to kill.

Cover-ups were all the rage back then, so the staff of the hospital locked all the employees and patients down in the basement-along with the insane Dr. Markin, and…burned them alive.

"Jesus." Lisa said surprised, "Like something out of a horror movie."

"It gets better." Enrico said, "After they burned Markin alive the staff abandoned the hospital, seeking the safety of the town-and were never seen again."

            "Now you're messing with me." Lisa frowned at all of them, even Jessica, who was focusing intently on yet another donut, "That's cheesy, and really mean.  Why would that happen to someone?"

"Nobody knows." Enrico said, "You should ask Vickers…his granddad was one of the people who went out looking for them."

            The last statement was said with perfect sincerity, What the hell have I gotten myself into? Lisa thought as she studied them all carefully.  Neither Burton, Chambers, nor Marini appeared to find it amusing in the slightest.

"Well…maybe they got eaten!"

"Maybe."

Lisa turned around.

            A Pantheon God stood in the doorway, tall, semi-long dark brown hair-and a muscular figure that put even the well-done men in the room to shame.  Lisa's breath caught in her throat for a few moments, before the god's voice drew her down to earth.

"Hi, I'm Vickers, you must be the fresh blood around here."

"Blood-yes-I am-me-is-I-woo." Lisa bowed her head, "Please excuse me." Oh man! Oh man how stupid is I… 

Kyle Vickers nodded, smiling warmly at the newest recruit as she bolted from the room, then glancing back at the rest of his fellow RPD employees.

            "She's cute." Kyle winked, "Despite the fact that she's a bit strange."

Enrico laughed, "She thinks _we're _the strange ones."

"You haven't seen my son anywhere have you?"

--------------------------

RPD-Request area.

Night was deepening outside when Lisa made her way to the front.  Pale shafts of moon build imaginary walls upon the floor as she stepped out and stood, staring at the stars.

Why'd I freak out like that? She shook her head.

            "Miss? Do you work here?"

Lisa looked up.  A large black man leaned foreward out of the darkness, wearing a security uniform.  He looked haggard, slightly overworked by something on his conscious that didn't sit right with him…

"Yes…I'm-well I work for STARS…"

            "Listen, as long as you work for the police, that's all I care about." The man moved towards her more fully, his tiny eyes fearful, "I'm Mark…you may not remember me but I found the body of that woman-"

"Oh! If you've got anything else to say you can take it up with the detectives in charge of the case-" surely there would be an overwhelming amount of paperwork to take care of if she handled this sort of thing-

            "Not about that." Mark shook his head, "I-Listen this guy came up to me, accosted me really, in Joes."

Joes, was the local pub.  Supposedly, being accosted in a local pub in a town like raccoon by a man was abnormal.

            "Did he threaten you?" There's got to be a lot of paperwork for this too… STARS handled search and rescue, an over-emphasized version of The SWAT team.  Did they handle things like this?

"No, but…" Mark seemed unsure.

            Lisa smiled reassuringly, "Sir…we all want to do the right thing.  Why don't you just tell me? I'm sure it was all an innocent misunderstanding."

Mark sighed, "See…I don't think it was.  This guy came up and said he was the husband of the woman who got shot-and he wanted to find the kids who helped me get her into the hospital…"

Lisa frowned, "Kids?"

"We got kind of close." Mark shrugged and stuck his hands in his pockets, "Anyway, I gave him their address-the boy and girl anyway, I don't know what happened to the other girl."

            "You had no right to do that." This could be uglier then I thought. She should probably go and get an officer on duty, "Listen, go inside and talk to the Sergeant on shift okay? Tell him what you told me…and we'll see what we can do."

"Miss?"

Lisa turned away from the stars, "Yes?"

"He said…he worked for Umbrella."

Umbrella.

            Lisa shook her head and pushed images of John from her mind.  He had been the real reason why she'd left the army, gone on to find a different job trying to get as far away from them as she could…

"Its work to better mankind." He said.  Yeah right. Bettering mankind by bringing the dead back to life…as if that would work.  Lisa suspected that it wouldn't last very long anyway, nitrogen in the atmosphere would break down the decomposing flesh soon enough, so only the spirit would remain…

What a horrible thought! 

She took a few cautious steps away from the solid, steady yellow glow of the police station and sat down on a bench, completely ignoring the black car that carefully turned the curb and gently eased into the night.

--------------------

Within the car-

"Are you sure we're doing the right thing?"

            The woman, obviously the one in charge, sighed, "Look Ben, if you aren't willing to do whatever it takes for our profession then what kind of a reporter are you?"

"You got that from your parents Alyssa." Ben Bertolucci said accusingly, "Damn environment hating Umbrella freaks."

            Alyssa resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at her boyfriend, afraid that it might be used for far dirtier means then simply acknowledging his pure unadulterated stupidity. 

"But following this guy…"

"Look! He saw the woman get shot! He called it in! He must know something…and the man in the bar…"

Ben shuddered, although he seemed timid, he'd put the collective wrath of god into the both of them.  She brushed her long blond hair from her eyes and pulled off near a local apartment building, where she and her boyfriend lived.

"If you're sure."

"CHRIST!" Alyssa got out of the car and stomped through the still active headlights to Ben's side, "Will you stop worrying? It's within the rights of journalistic integrity.  Now shut up and come on up to bed…darling." Her voice took on seductive tones.

            Ben pushed the fourth amendment out of his mind and studied his girlfriend intently, "Time for a Special report…" 

Alyssa grinned, "Shall we go deep under cover?"

Ben grinned and laughed softly, "Oh…most definitely."

Alyssa took him by his tie, leading him quietly down the street and through the door of their apartment building-Hill House 61775.

--------------------------

The Raccoon City Hospital.

Cafeteria.

JD had already decided to take everything that Daniela said with a grain of salt.

            "So…supposedly the ghosts of the people who died in the fire still haunt this place." She held out her hands wide and grinned, "Isn't that awesome?"

Spirits of the damned wandering about…no…not really… 

"Dr. Markin sounds like Birkin." JD laughed harshly, "I still can't believe he asked me to stay and keep his wife safe." He took another swig of the brown liquid that passed for coffee, "I'm a computer analyst for Christ sake…I work with computers."

            "No future in it." Daniela' eyes narrowed as she dropped her coke on the counter, "Absolutely none.  Who's going to want to use something that will require such technical knowledge?"

"I would." JD said offended, "And anyway it does more then just keep records." Although most of his job did involve CPU development and Database construction, JD also oversaw a lot of the data gathering with the scientists…

"I still say it's fishy." Daniela said, "People loose touch with old things…everything has to be new and different.  Why can't things stay the same?"

JD ignored the growling in his stomach, "I have no idea."

            "Well." Daniela folded her hands and leaned the bridge of her nose atop them, "Shall we go up and see your Dr. Birkin now?"

"I guess." JD sighed, "You normally stalk hospital patrons this way?"

Daniela blushed, No, only the cute ones… 

"Come on." She led him to a nearby elevator, "Third floor right?"

            JD hesitated.  The memory of the basement and the calling voices filled his mind with dark shapes and twisted words.

"Yeah…" I hate elevators. "Third floor."

When JD was a child, he'd been riding with his mother in a New York Elevator on vacation.  His mother, two boys, a businessman…

The elevator had stopped-leaving the patrons trapped for two days between floors.  

            Ever since then he'd had an intense fear of claustrophobic spaces.  Even being back in his room at the mansion, or down in one of those tiny labs was enough to set him to fits.

"Problem?" Daniela stood in the doorway, expectant.

"No." JD shook his fears away, "Lets go."

-------------------------------

Third Floor-

Outside Annette Birkin's room

"Most of these rooms are kept empty because there aren't enough people to staff all of them." Daniela swept her arm in a great arc, indicating most of the hospital, "That's why they're so eager to hire on assistants-"

"Candystripers."

She bristled.  Ever since she'd found out what a Candystriper was she'd hated the term.

            "Assistants.  Anyway, the hospital has a really tiny staff-just like the police station."

"Whatever." I just want to go home… 

JD knocked lightly, "Dr. Birkin?"

No response.

"Annette Birkin? Hey its me…your…" he winced, "Gift? JD Roper? ITS and Systems Development?"

"Let me try." Daniela said, "Dr. Birkin, this is hospital staff, can you please open the door?"

Nothing.

            "Now we go in." Daniela eased herself into the room slowly, fighting the urge to run about and panic, "Hello?" 

The door opened into the normally cheerful institutional room that they set all their patients in-patient absent.  

Oh God. JD froze, Annette Birkin has gone missing, and I'm worm chow- 

            "Jesus." 

Daniela had gone in first, and found Annette curled up next to the toilet-the wound in her side staunched by time.  Blood was smeared about her forehead; the toilet remained as it was.

"Dr. Birkin, come on…" 

Annette groaned, she shifted her weight to the side.  Daniela flushed the toilet out of conscious respect for the woman before her and got to her knees to help her up.

            "Dr. Birkin…come on…"

JD saw Daniela come walking out of the bathroom carrying his boss's wife.

"Is she-okay?" his eyes furrowed in concern.  Annette Birkin looked like she'd been run over a train carrying napalm, and then chewed upon by dogs.

"I think so…I'll get Katie just to be sure but…Annette? Can you hear me?"

Annette groaned again.  She opened her eyes and looked about them in bewilderment.

"Wha-Where-Huh…"

            "Do you know where you are?" Daniela had out a small flashlight, "Come on, and lets have you track the light shall we? Come on-"

"Body." Annette coughed, "Body-in the bathroom-" she coughed and a thin trail of blood oozed from the corner of her mouth, "Body…"

JD frowned and jumped quickly from her side to the bathroom.  The sink, toilet, and shower were in their usual place, the blank whiteness marred only by a thin smear of Annette's blood on the floor. 

"There's no body." JD looked back at her confused, "Are you sure you saw one?"

"Body-hanging." Annette coughed again, reaching a hand up to her mouth horrified, "Oh god…a body in the ceiling, hanging, swinging on a rope…"

"You must have been seeing things." JD concluded, "Dr. Birkin, get some rest-"

"I want to go home." She spoke plainly now, "I don't like it here."

"Not until Katie looks at you." Daniela soothed.  She did not address the second issue, only a believer- (These two still obviously skeptics) would have understood.

This room, in this hospital, was the very same place where a man named Leon McGraw had committed suicide by hanging in 1943.

----------------------

The Birkin Residence-

William shut out all thoughts of sleep from his mind.  He yawned and listened to the droning lull of the TV.

            Annette, his wife was in the hospital.  Someone had shot her, why? Humans were so illogical; viruses worked the way they were supposed to.  They weren't driven by greed or ambition or lust or _feelings _of any kind.  He hated being a human sometimes; pain was an integral part of being a human and he hated pain.

I wonder what you'd do…dad. 

His father had been the same; he was _sure _of it, but unwilling to show it.  At least William had made sure to express his emotions-rather then acting out in violent outbursts upon whoever was nearest.  That brought back bad memories of the time he hit Annette…

            "I'm not a bad person…" he asked the universe, "Am I?"

The universe being omnipotent and strangely silent, gave no answer.

            He wasn't a bad person, he did good things.  Things that would help people, his rational behind his work, was that if you could put the fear of something into people so deeply that they wouldn't want to fight anymore…

War would end. 

He'd be out of a job, but who the hell cared? 

Admit it. His brain cajoled, You're playing god and you like it. 

"No I'm not." William glowered at the TV and mentally rebuked himself, "God wouldn't have made something like the T-Virus-"

            Then you're playing Satan. 

"NO!" he gritted his teeth, "I'm not-I'm-"

Talking to myself. He was a man of science, not mysteries, and not-NOT-insanity.

He had to go to those kids tomorrow, ask them what happened-find out why it happened to his wife and then do something about it.

"I don't like feeling helpless." People touched his property and they died for it.  Annette was his property now and…and…

I'm gonna save her. Protect her.  Love, honor, cherish, the whole bit. He stuck to his vows stubbornly, like the child he never was, "I will do it!"

He startled the dust bunnies (Both he and Annette's only concession to animals in their household-both hated pets intensely) into leaping from the couch as he fell back into sleep.

-----------------

Umbrella HQ.

Ada Wong was speaking to her Contact, the Hospital Doctor.  Late night meant nothing in New York; her face was already dotted with the neon ecstasy of a thousand dancing lights.

"The time table has been stepped up?"

"Yes." The woman on the other end of the phone said, "I don't know where Paul is…and I'm starting to become concerned.  Searches of the basement have yielded nothing."

"The rooms?"

"There are too many fucking rooms in this place." The woman on the other end snorted, "I have a tiny-ass staff Wong…in case you're forgetting…"

            "I'm not forgetting." Ada said sharply, "Just _find _him and kill him." She chortled to herself, "Umbrella has no idea what we're up to!"

"And Wesker?"

Ada frowned, "Albert Wesker is in Paris at the moment."

An intake of breath from the other end of the line.

"What?" Ada frowned and the dancing neon lights turned dark, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing, I heard something about that-but-"

"But? What?"

"Nothing." The woman on the other end said, "I have to go."

"Okay." Ada sighed, "Call again soon."

------------------------

A/N-THE SHORTNESS! Ooooh! That was a fun chapter to write.  It's going to get faster, I promise.  And coming soon, MORE NEMMY ATTACKS!

*HUGGLES NEMMY* 

Nemmy-GRRR! STARS! *Trans: GET OFF MEE! *

Author- but…but…you're so cute! ^_^

Nemmy-GRRR? GRR? STARS? STARS? *Trans: What the fuck have you been smoking? *

Author-Caffeine… good… *drops dead *

Nemmy-GRR. STARS, GRR, STARS, STARS, CANDYSTRIPER-STARS STARS STAR, GRR, GRRR, GROWL SNARL.  GROWL SNARL, STARS, CONTEST, GROWL, GROWOL, STARL! GROWL! STARS, STARS- GROWL.

Translation: There she goes again.  Anyway-Candy stripers (For those unfamiliar with the term) are hospital employees who assist doctors; handle medical records, and other such things.  It used to be half community service, but that ended in the 1960s.  Now days, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who actually does that.  

About the contest:

Name the five teenagers: JUST NAMES-by answering the question in the last chapter.  The author asks that you keep reviewing, or she'll send me to your house to eat you.

Thanx!

Nemmy. 


	6. For want of a nail the horse was lost

Disclaimer: Ramen does not own Resident Evil, the Umbrella Corporation, or anything vaguely mentioned in this.  Do not sue, hunt her down, or send violent tree-monkeys after her.  There are already corporations with permits to do so.  Yes, I have finally updated. Woo for you.

Note: This is another Raccoon Chapter-enjoy! 

And now on with the show!

------------------------

**Hall**: Most people here died instantly, a few had time to go quietly nuts.

-Hall "The Andromeda Strain"

------------------------

Annette's dream world

"I did see something." Her voice echoed through the caverns of her prison, "I did! I saw something!"

Nothing.

"Hello?"

The silence was everywhere, her constant companion.  A crushing weight upon her soul.  She called for all the saints of her New Orleans catholic upbringing, for her father who she'd never known, her mother who had never cared, her husband, and her child…

She opened her eyes with a gasp.

"Gods." Bright sunlight streamed in through the window, silhouetting her form.  The past night's terrors were nothing now in the bright light of day-the silence…

"Morning doc." A muffled voice said.  She glanced over sharply and came face to face with a bleary eyed young man who didn't look happy about his situation in life.

"Who the hell are you?"

"JD Roper, remember yesterday?"

            Annette tried very hard to recall who this person was and why he was standing in her hotel room looking like something that a large pregnant cat had dragged in.

"I think…"

JD Sighed, "There's no one in the room above yours Mrs. Birkin."

Annette blinked, "That's impossible, I heard noises-"

"I'd attribute it to the air conditioning" And a nasty prankster who doesn't care about other people's sanity 

            That couldn't have been the answer…there were voices…there had to be-

Weren't there?

"I-I-"

"Look…" JD said gently, "You got shot huh? You're stressed." At least I hope that's it "Why don't you not worry about it?" he took her hand and smiled, "May I go home? Please?"

"No."

I should get paid overtime. This was far above and beyond the call of duty for any umbrella employee.  Birkin ought to give him a goddamn medal for this…

"No…" Annette said sharply then stopped short, "Please, stay with me…JD."

JD turned back, "A word of kindness from one who bears the name of Birkin? Be still my heart!"

Annette snorted, "I got married two months ago."

"And now you're pregnant, congratulations." JD took a seat, "Look, I haven't slept, I want to go back to work…what could possibly be wrong?"

"Can't you just take a moment and listen to me? Nobody ever does, people avoid me like the fucking plague since I married-married-"

"Dr. Birkin."

Annette sighed, "You put it succinctly."

JD had often suspected that there was more to that very sudden marriage then everyone had perceived.  He'd been visiting with family during the week of the mansion incident, when all of this began.

"Breakfast…" the door opened and was ignored as a large African American nurse bustled in, left a pink tray bearing edible substances, and exited.  JD leaned back in the hard chair and tried to find a comfortable position as he studied his boss's wife-who attacked the food like a starving woman.

"So…why'd you marry him?" How does mom always manage to sound so calm when she asks that? 

Annette froze, fork halfway to her mouth, "What?"

"Dr. Birkin.  You, marriage, big ceremony-etc."

Annette pushed her food away, "I don't want to talk about it." An overwhelming wave of nausea hit her, "oh Christ-"

JD looked away as she leaned over into a nearby container, returning when she laid back gasping, "That." She said mustering a weak laugh "Is going to take some getting used to."

JD smiled, "My sister said the same thing."

Annette looked back, "You're not married."

"No." he said curtly, "I had a girlfriend but-yes.  That's all there is to say about that!" he smiled cheerfully and tried not to scream, "Tell me…"

"I hate being weak." She wrapped her arms around her body; "Throwing up like that-weak…" she shook her head, "I don't want to be weak."

            "Everybody has weak moments." JD said, trying to be reassuring, "Why, one day I just happened to beat the hell out of a CPU just because it didn't-"

Annette looked at him like he was insane, "Not. ME." She said darkly, "I'm supposed to be one of the few in charge in this god-forsaken hell-hole."

"You can't be strong all the time." JD pointed out, "You have to have people to depend on.  Nobody can rely completely on themselves."

"You simpleton, that's the only person you can really trust!" Annette cried, " Do you honestly think that there are people in this world who would really do something like die for you?"

"You must have been hurt very badly once." JD said softly.  He stood and looked back at Dr. Birkin, sitting there all along, a queen of silence and sanctity, "And I'm sorry about that.  I really am."

            "You're an idiot." Annette said, her voice thick with contempt, "Umbrella trains its employees to be self-reliant, what the hell happened to you?"

"I've only been working here for about three years."

Touché. Annette watched JD go, But you're wrong never the less

            Annette had been working at Umbrella for most of her career-and self reliance was taught with every nonchalant comment about death around the corporation.  Meeting someone who actually cared like that was a bit unorthodox.

And startling, William wound never- 

William Birkin.  Her husband till death, Annette wished that he'd care about her in that way.  He was of her school of thought however-and daydreams like that are often unused by people in their field.

She wondered where he was right now.

Unconsciously she hugged her abdomen and thought carefully about the child that she and her husband had created.  Soon, that child would be coming into the world that they had helped create-a world where the dead walked and people were slowly becoming more apathetic to the needs and wants of others.  She shivered.

"Good morning." 

Annette peered blearily upward and narrowed her eyes at the woman who had just entered.  Her long blond hair was tucked behind her in a ponytail, and she wore an expression resembling a smirk.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm Alyssa." The woman looked like a cat in crème, "I'm the reporter who covered the story in the raccoon paper-we'd like to do a follow-up."

            "Can't it wait?" Annette said, clearly annoyed, "I'm waiting for my husband to return."

"Great!" Alyssa looked pleased, "And what does he do? We can interview both of you!"

Remember, stupidity travels in large groups. Annette counted to ten and said in a strained voice, "We're not doing interviews.  I would not have agreed to do an interview if I had been conscious.  Leave-now-or I'll get a doctor to kick you out."

            She said this sweetly, but no amount of sugar could hide the poison in her voice.  Alyssa's mouth opened and closed a few times before she slumped back, defeated, and nodded once.

"Thank you." Annette said acidly, "Now, the door?"

She watched her guest exit and lay back on the pillows.  The story worried her, how much did that damn reporter know? They kept their names out of the press for a reason.  If an Umbrella employee had gotten shot…

There would be an offical investigation. 

Or so she'd hope-but done by their own people.  Brian Irons would keep the police out of it, just like he always did.

That brought her mind to William.

Where is he? 

In his lab most likely, completely forgetting her existence in favor of his work…

-----------------------

Raccoon City-Suburbia

The white Nissan eased to the curb with the grace of a jungle cat.  William Birkin checked the address one last time before he lept from the car and stood for a moment before the clapboard home.

This is it? 66632 Crestview? 

Before he knew it his feet were moving, and he was knocking on the door.  He rubbed sleep from his eyes and tried to look presentable as every fiber in his body screamed for him to hi-tail it back to his car.

He looked up startled as his foot hit a tiny gnome that seemed to be residing between a decaying plant and a plastic shovel.  He moved slightly as the door opened a crack.

"Yes?"

"Hello, my name is William Birkin, I work for Umbrella-my wife was shot-"

The girl who had opened the door was a slim Japanese girl, who glanced back frightened and shut the door in his face.

"Hey!"

You'd have to expect something like this-you did come to her house without permission and without a badge. People seemed notoriously afraid of people who did that.

William knocked again.

"What the fuck is your problem pal?" The door opened fully now.  Birkin stared down a teenager who had short-curly brown hair and his obvious (Obvious) girlfriend who was cowering behind him, "Can't leave well enough alone?"

"Look." William said patiently, Kids today! If this keeps up everybody will be afraid of his or her neighbor "All I want is to find some information.  My wife got shot…please…" He hated to sound weak, but pleading seemed the best way to melt this kid's heard, "They said-you found the body-her body-"

The kid's face softened, "Is she alright?"

"What?" William snorted, "Why wouldn't she be?" The kid's eyes narrowed and William mentally cursed himself.  When attempting to get information out of another human being-one should not take a superior attitude.

            "I'm-sorry." William's face fell, "Listen…I just wanted to know if you saw anything-heard anything-that might give me some kind of clue as to what happened with my wife-"

"That's what the police are for." The kid opened the door wider, "I'm really sorry about what happened."

Like that's going to do anything. 

            "The guy who drove off-" The kid blinked as his girlfriend rounded his shoulder, "He drove a black car…a Buick.  I noticed because it was a real old car."

Birkin looked up sharply, "An old car?" that could be anyone or anything in Raccoon City.  The locals didn't really take time out to purchase top of the line vehicles. 

William sighed, "IS there…anything else…anything at all that you can remember?"

            The boy raised an eyebrow, and William became aware of how absolutely silly he looked.

"You really love your wife hmm?"

William looked pained, "Yes."

            "Why don't you come in for a minute…"

-----------------------

Raccoon City PD HQ

Lisa Sunderland grabbed the keys off the wall of the motor pool check out and flipped the attendant the finger.

"Hey listen lady-" The man gripped the corners of the wall and tried to apologize, "All I said was-"

"I know-what you said." Lisa said quickly, "And I'm not interested-"

            "Look, all I offered was to get your oil changed-"

Lisa shook her head, "Just be quiet okay!" she was going out to the address the security guard had specified, looking for the mysterious man.

Not a prospect she relished.

Lisa had asked for the assignment-since the mysterious "Mark" had been the one who gave her the information.  Apparently Mark worked for a security company that looked after Umbrella's data storage-which was right in town. 

He knew the woman by name-why?

Was she an Umbrella employee?

            "HEY!"

Lisa looked up startled at the driver of the car that had nearly turned her.

"Detective Vickers?"

Oh Shit… 

            "Officer Sunderland?" Detective Vickers flashed the pearly whites and Lisa melted.  She dropped a few inches onto the car's hood.  Detective Vickers leaned over and opened the side door, "Can I give you a ride somewhere?"

            "I-uh…"

Vickers flashed the pearly white teeth again, "Would that be a yes?"

            Lisa managed a weak nod and stumbled over to the passenger side.  The parking attendant watched the car drive off and squinted at the license plate.

"I need to call chief irons…"

--------------------

Crestview.

The house stank of love.

            William had never been in a place like this before.  It screamed "lived in" Toys were scattered about the floor.  He jumped as a cat yowled-swiping at him with a velveteen paw before leaping out of site.

"Ignore Yuikiko." The boy said softly, "So…"

            "My wife."

"Jeremy-"

"Neko…go into the kitchen huh?" he glanced at the girl quickly before turning his attention back to the man, "A white car pulled up out of nowhere-my girlfriend and I were going to the movies…"

            "Go on." Birkin leaned foreward.

"The car came up outta nowhere." Jeremy shook his head; "the Gunshots rang out like bells-and then-Neko was they're putting her coat on your wife-"

            William could see the scene, crystal clear in his mind's eye.  The gunshot-his wife falling like a pale angel-these kids running up from nowhere-

"That's all?" What was I hoping for? I'm not a cop.  I'm just a looser who makes viruses for a living.  

            "Sorry pal." The kid shook his head, "I wish I had more to give you. "

"I guess that's all I could have expected." Damn. William stood, "Sorry to bother you kid."

            "Its okay." The boy stood up and led his guest to the foyer, stepping on a Barbie doll on the way, "My parents are out of town-and Neko and I are watching my younger sister."

            "Your house…"

"What about it?" The boy looked confused, "Its just a house."

William shook his head.

            "Nothing.  Thank you for your time kid."

"Sure."

William turned, opened the door-and came face to face with Detective Vickers and Lisa Sunderland.

-----------------

The Redfield Home.

The final rays of the setting sun twinkled like the beginnings of distant stars through Kevin Redfield's window.

"Dad?"

            Kevin looked up, "Huh?"

Claire stood in the doorway, dressed in a ridiculous monstrosity of pink frills.

            "Mom bought me a new nightgown." She held her hands out helplessly, "I feel Rid-Rid-Rid-"

"Ridiculous dear."

            "Yeah!" Claire's eyes narrowed, "Chris called me a "pretty princess" like that stupid game that mom bought me."

Kevin turned away from his paperwork, "Well…honey your mom just-" Wow…how do you explain to your kid that her mother is trying to live vicariously through her-and get the childhood she never had? Kevin turned to face his daughter fully, she did look ridiculous with her long brown hair done up in curlers. 

            Callista had been a tomboy from birth-and she'd grown up in an abusive all male household.  There were nights where she'd wake next to him-eyes wide with terror…

Claire frowned, "Dad?"

            "Yeah honey?"

"Mom said that the lady next door got shot…"

------------------

Crestview

"Who the fuck are you?" Jeremy pushed around Birkin, "What do you want?"

            "RPD son." Vickers moved the boy out of the way with his presence, "Now-Pervert-"

"Pervert?" Birkin's eyes narrowed, "Sir-I demand to know what you're doing!"

"Come on pal."  Vickers grabbed his arms and shoved him up against the wall. 

            "Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing!"

"Down to the station-"

            Lisa smiled at the boy, "You're safe now.  Did he hurt you?"

"No!"

At a loss to explain the reasons why he was being bodily hauled from this boy's house, Birkin sighed.

"Thank you-OW!" Vickers slammed him up against the car, "You simian! What the hell do you think you're doing!"?

            "Arresting you."

"I'll have you know, I am an employee of the UMBRELLA Corporation sir, and if you so much as manhandle any hair on my head further-I'll have you drawn and quartered!"

            "What?" Vickers pushed Birkin's head down into the cab of the car, "Are you talking about?"

It's always the same. The woman got into the passenger seat while the brutal simian got into the front, leaving Birkin forlorn in the back, The big guys always used to gang up on me at school too. 

            There had been times as a young child-where in desperate need of sympathy he'd run to his father and begged him to treat him with a little respect.  His father (Father's being that way) had only laughed and asked him to toughen up.

Why can't you be more like your brother? Birkin mocked himself as the car bounced jauntily along the road towards the police station, Hell, you stupid girly boy-why can't you be more like your sister? 

            "Hey-sir-" The woman looked back, "You keep awake you hear? Going into kids houses-"

            "You madam." Birkin summoned all of his ice-cold courage; "Personify everything that's wrong in the world."

            "Don't speak to a lady like that, fucktard." The male driver slammed his fist into the metallic mesh-driving Birkin back against the seat.  Keep cool.  They can't charge you.  You've got to be just like you are at work-cool-collected-scare the shit out of them. 

            "Was I speaking to you?" Birkin asked, nonchalant.  Outside buildings whizzed by faster, "The ape is apparently a sentient creature! How charming." He smiled wide, and watched the woman squirm, "Its not as if you have anything intelligent to say-"

The car's breaks slammed on suddenly-causing a taxi to stop directly in front of them.  Birkin (Not being in a seatbelt) slid foreward and collided with the wire meshing.

            "Did that teach you?" Vickers leaned back.  Birkin lay curled in a fetal position in the well of the seat whimpering.  Blood dripped from his mouth in a slow trickling line, "Huh Fucker? Did you learn your lesson?"

            Lisa frowned-apparently the Apollo god had a dark side.  She had to admit that this guy hadn't really been doing anything wrong-

"Yes." His voice came out very small.

"Are you going to be a smart ass again?"

"No." 

"Good." Vickers nodded-satisfied that he had reduced a fellow human being to a slobbering pile of nothingness, "That's the way to handle it Sunderland-that's the way they do it in the big city."

That must be why the big city has such problems. 

They stood at last before the RPD building, a crumbling old shack that some how managed to meet the federal requirements for what a police department required.  Lisa turned to Kevin and smiled brightly.

            "I'll get him out of the back."

"That's fine." Kevin wiped his hand on his jeans, "Stupid little Fucktard." 

Eh… Lisa watched him go, Apparently my god of sexy man-ness is slightly…well…abusive… she turned her attention back to the arrestee. 

            Birkin lay in the back, staring at the car ceiling, and trying to count the lines.  After loosing all hope of ever pleading his case as a rational adult-he decided to give in to the simple idea of…counting things.

Math and science… there were exactly fifty-two lines in the ceiling of the car, so simple! 

            "Come on." Lisa opened the door-exposing Birkin's head to the sunlight, "Come on out pal."

He sighed, "You going to put me in jail?" He laughed harshly, "BANG! Right in the kisser eh copper?" Life suddenly seemed utterly ridiculous.  This woman was arresting him-he'd killed women like her.  Lots of them on lab tables with Wesker-or Annette-or one of the faceless assistants he'd had ever since coming from Chicago to Raccoon City. 

"Are you alright?"

Birkin sighed, and slowly stood.  He twisted his wrists in his hands and looked at Lisa with a searching look.

"Do you ever get the feeling that life seems utterly ridiculous?"

"Get inside."

-----------------------------------

HOSPITAL

Katie, doctor extraordinaire that she was, leaned back in her chair and tossed another pencil at the ceiling.  She brushed her long hair out of her eyes, and watched the clock again.

"Five thirty.  Come on five thirty." 

            Most of the staff had gone home for the day.  It wasn't that she wanted to remain here its just that she was told to.

And she always followed orders.

"Doctor-"

            "Katie." Katie looked up, "What can I do for you Miss-Miss-"

The woman slipped into her office and sat down, quickly, catlike, "My name is Alyssa." She purred, "and I've come to talk to you about Mrs. Birkin."

--------------------

WOW! A CLIFFHANGER! Woot! Katie meeting the mysterious Alyssa! What does she want? What's up with five thirty! What took me so long to update?

Birkin: That would be school. (mutters) crazy old biddy.

Author: oh COME ON! School's not that bad!

(School overlords appear) WHY ARE YOU NOT WORKING ON YOUR PAPER?!

Author: *vanishes * eeep.

Chapter seven! Forthcoming!


	7. The Synergy Effect

Although I am Ill, and running a fever-I shall start chapter seven.  Why? Because I feel the need to, it's therapeutic-its like…like-something I just can't think of.  Anyway-we returns to the old Wesker/Nemmy Birkin/Misc. Ghosts. Format.  And yes, this chapter has sex in it-BUT NOT ADULTFANFIC.NET sex.

Btw-since Ada Kensington is the only one who entered-she wins the contest! Yay for her! ^_^

--------------------------------

"Dictators ride to and fro upon tigers which they dare not dismount. And the tigers are getting hungry."   
-_Sir Winston Churchill, November 11, 1937_

_----------------------------_

Paris France-

5:20

I may as well admit it. Wesker slumped lower in his seat; I can't deny it any longer.  I, Albert Jefferson Wesker-am in a stripper bar. 

"Volia! Madamoiselle-BUNNY!"

A woman in a skimpy rabbit outfit skipped out onto the stage and began to take off her clothes.  Her eyes darted towards him-and he shook his head.

            "Lady." He said, calmly over the din, "I'm only here for the beer."

She shook her breasts at him-and muttered something that sounded vaguely like American pig, before strutting off into the smoky darkness.

"You come here often sailor?"

            Wesker turned about-sans sunglasses-the room still seemed darker then normal.

"Who would you be?"

A woman leaned out of the darkness, carefully running a pale finger along the top of a frosty glass of-coke.  She was drinking a coke.  A sexy, young woman was drinking a coke in a stripper bar.

            "What kind of woman walks into a place like this? In a town like this?"

"If you say, "Of all the gin joints in all the towns she had to walk into mine." I'll punch you." The woman sipped her coke, "Come on! Don't tell me you don't remember me!"

Wesker tried to get his eyes to focus, failed, and shook his head.

The woman sighed.

"Its Me Al! Kate McGraw!"

Albert Wesker rubbed his eyes.

            "Kate…McGraw?"

The woman, now called Kate, slumped back into her seat.  Around them, flesh was bathed in buttery exotic yellow glow.  The meat market. Wesker watched the dancers quietly, They're being put on display-for show. 

            "I'm investigating the disappearance of some people." Kate smiled, "The parents-oddly enough-all happen to be Umbrella corporation employees."

"If I don't remember you-" A piece of meat danced closer to them, wiggling her hips like some Chou Chou dancer from the 1930s, "Why are you telling me all this?"

            "Think carefully." Kate lit a cigarette, " Way back at the executive training academy-"  
"Oh. My. Fucking. God."

            This couldn't be the same pimply, freckle faced Kate McGraw who had trailed after Annette Birkin like an undeserving shadow.  The reason why she looked so unfamiliar stared him in the face.

He hadn't seen her since the wedding.

            "Jesus…Kate…"

"Save it." Kate held up a hand, "I'm seeing someone."

            Wesker balked, "Who?"

A slow, Cheshire cat smile spread across her face.

            "Nobody in particular." All at once she snapped back to business, "Look, Wesker-I need your help-I have a sneaking suspicion that we're looking for the same-um-thing."

"And what would that be?"

Kate responded by opening a bag seemingly pulled from nowhere.  She tossed cutout employee files at him, watching them spread across the table like cheap card tricks.

"Five teenagers-"

            "Shit!"

Kate blinked, "What?"

            "Well, I mean-are they all American?" His mind went back to the teenagers that had gone roaring around the bend the other day.  If they were all American-then this case was already wrapped up-and he could continue trying to find the monster they'd lost.

"Felix DeCrew is French, her parents in fact "run" here Kate held up fingers in quotation marks, "The Paris Faculty-although they answer exclusively to Lord Spencer-"

            "Lord Spencer?"

"Oh…" Kate stopped along with the music, "Shit…Wesker, I'm sorry-"

"Continue."

            "Um-Right." She coughed again, "Charlie Robertson's dad is in processing-no big deal there." She continued to flip through notes; "Bobby Baxter's mother and father both work on Chemical Research in New York- Andi Takahashi's parents work over at the Just-up-and coming branch-"

For some reason, people in Asia had problems with Umbrella putting up research faculties in China, and Japan.  They seemed to have reached a unanimous decision that no Ganjin Foreigners were going to peddle their patent medicine on their sacred soil, and damn the self-gracious bastard who dared to interfere with that process.

"And then there's Sam."

            "What about him?"

"Her." Kate held up a picture of an 18-year-old girl with bright purple hair, and strange-almost yellow eyes, "Samantha Davenport."

            "Oh god."

The buttery yellow meat display slowed again as Wesker's eyes fell upon the image, and the name-that was burned into his mind as if written in blood within the book of Lucifer…

            "Her Aunt works for HCF…"

-------------------------

Raccoon City Hospital

5:29

"I'm sorry," Dr. Katie stood up, "But I can no longer answer your questions."

            "See, that's just it." Alyssa rose to her feet, " I have a feeling you _can _answer my questions-you just won't.  See, there's a war going on-and I'm going to get to the bottom of it."

"Oh no you're not." Katie bit back the retort in her mouth, "Shit."

            "See, now you've just confessed to something."

"No I haven't!"

"Yes, you have."

"NO! I haven't!"

"Yes, you have."

            "SECURITY!" Katie scrambled backward for the phone in a panic.  Alyssa smirked, and reflected on how poorly prepared these people who were secretly pawns of greater organizations were when it came to dealing with exposure. 

"You called?"

Daniela stood in the doorway-JD behind her.

            "GET HER OUT OF HERE!" Katie pointed and screeched-as if staring at a gigantic disproportionate mouse.

"Well-"

"NOW!"

"I'm going." Alyssa smiled at all involved-her eyes studying JD's solid frame, "Relax Doctor, relax."

            "I'm not going to relax until EVERYBODY leaves!" Katie shook her hands nervously, "I-" She breathed deep, "Am expecting a very VERY important phone call. GET THE FUCK OUT!"

They scurried-and Katie collapsed into her chair-her wide eyes falling on the blinking red button signifying that she had a phone call.

-----------------

"Should we have told her?" JD and Daniela continued their conversation.  Daniela's eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep-and JD no longer looked like anything human. 

            "Told her about what?"

"NO!"

The world exploded in screaming. 

            Annette Birkin, Scientist, wife, and soon to be mother-stood in the middle of a hallway surrounded by curious onlookers-patients, and security guards alike.  JD slapped his forehead as she brandished the scalpel at the two of them.

"GET BACK!"

            "Listen…Mrs. Birkin…"

"I'M NOT YOUR DOLL!" She was holding a small stuffed _thing _in her arms, "I'm not…I'm not…"

            She dropped the scalpel and stared at Daniela with wide, dilated eyes.

"Help…me…"

"Somebody grab her!"

"Careful! She's pregnant!"

            Daniela and JD watched as two security guards gently lifted the woman's body into the air, and carried into her room.

"Its funny." Daniela watched the crowd disperse.  The hospital was small enough that gatherings like this were easy to break up, "I thought that-"

            "You thought that what-"

JD's voice was interrupted in Daniela's thoughts.  She focused on a point entirely out of her vision-away in the distance, silhouetted against the window was the figure of a small child with short blond hair and large-almost myopic green eyes.  In her hand, she clutched a small ragged thing-similar to what Annette Birkin had just been holding.

She spoke.

            "Shit!" Daniela backed up and landed directly on JD.  The two of them went sprawling to the floor in an amusing, almost quaint sexual position.

"Hi."

"Um…Hi."

They kissed-briefly-before JD pushed himself up and darted away down the hallway, leaving Daniela alone with the ghosts. 

------------------

Raccoon City Police Station

"State your name for the Record."

"William Alexander Birkin."

"Date of Birth?"

"August 27th 1962"

            The desk sergeant sighed, "Do you object to being held for a particular period?"

Gee…I don't know you stupid woman.  Do you think I would object? 

"My wife is at the hospital." He said slowly, "She is gravely ill, I need…to go to her soon."

"That will be up to Chief Irons sir." The desk clerk continued automatically, "He has many concerns."

William leaned back against the concrete wall, and sighed.  If the chief did not hurry, one of his concerns would be having a very angry, annoyed, and royally pissed off William Birkin on his hands.

Like that matters. 

            He sighed and curled into a tight fetal position.  Night was deepening outside, and with it his cares and fears were darkening as well.

The should and shouldn't.

The could and couldn't.

Those kids weren't much help at all. He laid his head against the cool concrete and sighed.  He shouldn't have gone to see them, if he hadn't, then he would be by his wife's side-right now. 

"Could you stop sighing?" a voice said, " I'd like to try to sleep."

            "Hey pal," Birkin's voice was sharp, "Why don't you mind your own fucking business?"

"Sorry." A light lit itself, revealing a pair of perfectly poised lips, "I got pulled over for a recent traffic violation." The lips took a long drag, puffing out and making William cough, "You?"

            "I'm not really sure."

"Hey!" The lips stood up.  Dimly outlined against the rising pale moon, William could see the body of a woman, "You should sue! They can't arrest you without a good reason!"

            He did not bother to explain that any reason would be null and void once he spoke with Chief Irons.  Irons was a rock hard, almost- Here William laughed to himself-Iron man when it came to Umbrella policies and ideals.  That didn't mean he wasn't a first rate prick-William would kill him if opportunity arose-but he was useful.

Very useful

            "Ah…" He turned to face the dark figure, "I'll have to think about that." He said evasively, "In the mean time-what do they mean to do with us?"

"LIGHTS OUT!"

"There's your answer." The figure curled away from him, "Opposite corner you'll find a cot and a blanket-or at least," The figure examined a thin sheet of cotton that resembled a badly ripped screen, "What passes for one."

            William stood slowly, "Who are you?"

"Go to sleep."

"The name is William."

"Go to sleep William."

            The guard rapped his knuckles on the concrete in silence.  His eyes passed over the two figures who lay in their opposite corners, before turning the key in the lock to the county jail-and wandering off into his own endless night.

--------------------

Paris-

A few miles outside of town

"Sam…"

            Samantha Davenport peered over at Felix.

"Yes?"

            "Why, did you lead us," She raised herself off the seat and gestured at their sleeping compatriots, "All the way to Paris to chase a monster?" Alex groaned, and the others stirred listlessly.  Sam had wasted all of her money in buying the tickets to the city; they were forced to live like hobos in Alex's car.

"Well…" Sam spoke softly and looked out into the night.  The day was just beginning to break, soft clouds over the horizon looked like fluffy puffs of breath from some great and benevolent goddess. 

            That was complicated.

Mostly, it involved getting back at her Aunt, Kate Sunderburg-for simply being a royal bitch because she hated Umbrella so much.  Sam disliked the idea of secret corporations as a whole-if it didn't end now how far would it go?

The US had anti-trust laws for a reason.

So, if she could find pictures of the monster, sell them to the government-

            Aunt Katie would flip! Sam giggled gleefully, Would be worth it for that alone. 

She peered over, realizing that Felix had fallen asleep-draped across two of their mutual friends.  She smiled softly, turning back around in the driver's seat to face the morning sun, which spread along the ridge like wildfire.

-----------------

A/N- The last reference is slightly filled with poetic justice.  I write this in the middle of the California Fire Crisis.  Yay for us. 


	8. WildFire

Here's chapter eight.  No school today, the sky outside is red and hazy-filled with smoke.  Everybody's kind of on the alert-even though supposedly the danger is "slightly" less then it was-at least that's the attitude that we're getting.

Disclaimer: I don't own it; you've probably guessed it.  This chapter inspired by "A Perfect Circle" Great band-go check them out.

Still you pray never stray never taste of the fruit never thought to question why

It's not like you killed someone it's not like you drove a hateful spear into his side 

Praise the one who left you broken down 

- A perfect Circle "Judith" 

-----------------

THE LOUVRE 

Early morning hours

A work of art is left up to the beholder.

            As was soon to be discovered, many people would not like this new piece of art that was on display today.  Workers blocked it off with yellow tape, patrons of the art gasped in horror, putting their hands over their mouths.   

Some shrieked

Many fainted.

            Albert Wesker tried to remain stoic as he stood beside Kate, studying the latest work in the Louvre's collection.

"Body was found at 2:30 by the night watchman." Kate said.  Her voice was a study in monotone, "He notified the police."

            "Where is he now?"

"He was taken away by the ambulance crew."

            Wesker raised his eyes to hers, "What…was he injured?"

"Not physically."

Both shuddered.

            The body had been splayed in a criss-cross pattern, a crazy Pollock painting.  It had ruined two other works-both hanging side by side.

What little remained of the body-if it was really a body-was wearing a guard's uniform.

            "Shit, somebody call in the fucking national guard." Wesker stood slowly, "Oh no, saints preserve us, now some freak is attacking priceless artifacts! Help! Help!"

Kate sighed, "Calm down Wesker."

            "No! I won't calm down!" Wesker raised his arms above his head, "Not while a deranged monster is out attacking the art world! Oh help! Oh heavens! Good lord! Help!"

"Wesker-"

            He turned to face her with a deranged smile, "Jesus! Can't a man be terrified when his property is threatened? Now this monster is going after human culture! He must be stopped! He must be-" Wesker's iron countenance wavered, the years of desensitizing himself to the horrors that mankind had created failed.

He turned, bent his head, and threw up.

-----------------

            Kate handed him a towel, "You alright?"

I just lost it in front of half the Western World.  All of my training couldn't have prepared me for this…this… 

He shook his head wearily.

            "I used to make fun of William." Wesker coughed, "Because he lost it once when we were in the middle of doing a dissection." He chuckled, and coughed again, "Then this stuff happened with Irene…"

Kate put a hand on his shoulder, "I heard about that…I'm sorry."

            Wesker had avoided thinking about what might have driven his wife to do this.  He had made the deal with HCF partially because he had wanted to make a better life for her then what Umbrella had allowed them to scratch out from the ground, but now…

Is it Vengeance? He stared into Kate's eyes, Or am I just scared of what I've become? 

He could no longer deny…that part of him knew that it was the latter.

            Kate ruffled his hair in a friendly manner.  The two of them had cloistered themselves away from the main party of police and "plainclothes" Umbrella employees that were examining the scene.  Whatever this thing was…

"Um…Captain Wesker?"

Wesker looked up.

            "We…uh-found this sir."

Wesker raised a hand and took the piece of paper from the EMT worker.  It was a crumpled-and slightly stained ID card.

            "What the…"

RACCOON CITY-EMT PERSONNEL

Name: John Doe 

Age: 26

Hospital: Our Lady of Grace Hospital….

"What the hell, "Wesker said calmly, "Is going on?"

--------------------

Our lady of grace hospital

After the visit with Alyssa, Dr. Katie was on the phone.

            She often was on the phone; her phone calls would last into the wee-small hours of the morning and then some.  In this case, it was an international call, so Katie had to put whatever she had originally hoped to accomplish that day on hold.

"Yes Sir.  How are your tests proceeding?" she leaned back in the chair to listen to the response.

            "I see sir, on schedule? Thank you sir, no sir-no, least I could do for the corporation." She nodded, yawned, and smiled.

"Yes Sir, I'll be sure to convey that-thank you sir.  Uh huh, yes, goodbye."

She hung up the phone and sighed.

            "Doctor Katie?"

Katie looked up, "Hmm?"

            Daniela stepped into the room, "Doctor Katie…I was just wondering when you were going to take a look at Mrs. Birkin." Daniela shook her head nervously, and focused away from the thoughts of that woman harnessed into her bed, babbling incoherently.

"In a moment." Katie stretched out behind her desk, "Something the matter?"

            The kiss from JD remained, lingering in Daniela's mind.

"No Doctor." Daniela bowed her head, "Can I go home?"

"Shortly." Katie had just been speaking to number two of her three employers.  Once she'd examined Doctor Birkin, she would also return home.  There was little that could be done anyway.

            "Are you sure there's nothing on your mind?"

Daniela nodded.

            "Alright then, lets go take a look." Katie pulled herself from the chair with difficulty, and followed her assistant out.

--------------------

AT this point in time, something must be said about the stage in which the characters move.  Since little information to the contrary is available, speculation about a typical "Midwestern town" is left up to the imagination of the reader-or in this case, the author.

            And Raccoon was typical.  Populated formerly by rednecks, and those of undiscovered genius that never seemed to have the gall to move from the family homesteads to better locations, the bounty of Umbrella was a blessing.

A mixed blessing

            Soon, young urbane professionals seeking to raise their children in an environment with the "quaint livability of an old times home" where they could enjoy all the modern conveniences invaded the serene hamlet.  Already, discourse had broken out amongst townspeople and the yuppies-the old world and the new were constantly at war.

            Despite these difficulties, Raccoon was not without its own luxuries, and its own necessary amenities.  Through the care and devotion of Michael Redfield and Mr. David Spade, (No relation) they had built a first rate fire department.  They also had a moderate police force (Steadily growing) and a hospital under the care of hospital Director Dr. Katie Sunderburg.  Indeed, the young urbane professionals could be pleased with the progress the town was making.

Progress, that was unfortunately about to spiral downward.

--------------------

Raccoon City Forest

Eastward

"Its only a little bit farther!"

            Ray Marker blinked at her husband, "What?"

Jeff poked his head out from between an overhanging log, "I said its only a little bit farther Ray, just hold on."

Ray grumbled, digging her hands into the moist and pungent earth to get a better handhold.  Ever since spotting that eagle, and calling the authorities-Jeff had been nuts about bird watching.  He knew she'd taken a few classes in the subject, so he had called upon her expertise to identify a new nest that had taken root.

Smoking…

            Jeff had started smoking recently too, she could only guess at what had brought that about.  She sighed and grunted as she pushed herself up the final hill, peering into a gray green wonderland, dotting everywhere with ever so slight pink flowers.

"Oh Jeff…" she breathed in the fragrance, ignoring the subtle, almost unseemly stench that seemed to go along with this place, "You were right! This is wonderful-"

Her husband said nothing.

            Jeff's red and green plaid shirt, blue jeans, and body were silhouetted against her-the morning sun already climbing high in the sky.  He was staring downward at something in a low gully before him, motionless.

"Jeff?"

Jeff twisted away and retched-his cigarette flying from his lips as he curled away from her, bringing up breakfast and lunch in loud heartbreaking sounds.

            She jumped down from the top of the log and bolted over to the side of the gully, staring in horror at the scene below them.

Crows.

Hundreds of crows were feeding upon the bodies of four hapless individuals who seemed prone beneath the large black masses.  A crow looked up at her, an eyeball in its beak-and she screamed.

And kept on screaming.

            Now, unbeknownst to these two hikers, these bodies were employees of the Umbrella Corporation.  Their families (In Chicago and silent Hill respectively) were collecting money from the corporation in exchange for their lives-which were now spent before them.

They were all about to be victims of a greater horror.

            As anyone who has lived, or is currently living through a fire can tell you, it is not a joke.  Even more deadly then a machine, natural disasters are more likely to work according to a mysterious nature that cannot be understood and/or predicted.

They change, and they shift-and they feed.

Jeff's cigarette fed upon the dry embers beneath Ray's feet, catching fire-and spreading away from the damp grass into the dry brush that lined the horrific graveyard.  Ray spotted the light, and screamed just as Jeff grabbed her arm-sending them both tumbling over the tree trunk.

-------------------------------

Raccoon City Fire Department

Claire giggled as Kevin set the fire hat on her head.  Chris and his mother were shopping today, for which Kevin was grateful.  He had taken Claire to the fire station at her behest, so she could see where Uncle Mike had "Worked" she was obsessive about careers of late-she wanted to be a combination of every single job mankind had ever invented.

"Daddy!" Claire smiled up at her father with wide blue eyes, "When I grow up I want to be a firewoman okay?"

"I don't think your mom would like that very much." Kevin removed the hat from her head and sat her on his knee.  They had been sequestered in a generic coffee room, many firemen still offering condolences for the untimely passing of their chief-and their friend.  Kevin had thanked them-four month old wounds reopening with each "Sorry" that passed by the doors on their way to routine duties.

They must have really been close.

            He had known of the dedication between police and firemen, he had just never seen it first hand.

A klaxon went off somewhere in the building.

            "Daddy?" Claire jumped from his knee and ran across the wooden floor, "What's that?"

"Come on! Come on!"

"Fire!"

"10-8, 10-8, two RPD officers on call-"

            Kevin frowned and walked to the door.  Claire was peering out of the frosted glass expectantly, as if she expected some sort of monstrous creature to exhume itself in a bout of smoke and flame.  Dark shapes were running past, their feet speaking volumes.  Yes, There is a fire, I'm afraid we're going to have to ask you to leave, no, we have no further information, thank you for your time, we're sorry to have bothered you, don't let the door hit you on the way out.

"Ack!"

            The door pushed inward and Claire yelped, jumping out of the way.  Kevin put a protective hand on his daughter's shoulder as a woman glanced in, her string-like black hair wild about her face.

            "Sorry," She spoke with a slight accent, French? Kevin coughed into his hand, suddenly troubled by the dust, "You've got to leave-we're on an APB alert."

Kevin frowned, "What's the matter?"

"A Brushfire out near the 119." The woman jerked her thumb out the door, "Lets go kiddo huh?"

            "Daddy!" Claire cried, "She's a firewoman!"

Kevin gripped Claire's shoulder blade tightly, pushing her out of the way.

--------------------------

RPD

William Birkin awoke to the sound of running feet.

Where-oh that's right…I'm in Jail. His elation at waking up was burdened with the hundreds of cares that reality brought.

"Morning pal." His night companion said, "Looks dark huh?"

Two things dawned on William Birkin.

            Firstly, they were in complete darkness, and secondly, his companion was a woman.  An Asian woman with short black hair and bright, inquisitive gray eyes.

And he knew her.

"_Ada?_"

"Dr. Birkin?"

            The silence filled the room and threatened to choke them.  Ada chuckled and pushed herself off the cot so she could look at him closely.

" I _never _thought to see the great William Birkin in Jail!" Ada crowed, "Holy Catfish, what'd you do? Rob a blood bank? Or maybe the city morgue-"

            "I was within my constitutional rights." William said sternly, "HEAR ME? I WAS WITHIN MY RIGHTS!"

"Yeah, and I'm Mary Queen of Fucking Scots." Ada lit another cigarette, "Shit, I just got here-like yesterday from New York and now this-"

            "Now this what?" I don't think I can take any more bad news. 

"You don't know?" Ada smirked, "There's a big brush fire-"

"Oh god!"

His first thought went to the Spencer mansion with its Shake shingle roof.  It would go up like a twig, which would set off the self destruct-which would most likely take his work, all of his researchers, and the town with it.

"Relax, apparently it's on the East side of town."

"Jesus." Birkin leaned against the wall and jumped to his feet, "I can't relax! That's near the hospital! That's where Annette is!"

            "Well, don't get upset about it." Ada said, "I'm sure they have an evacuation plan."

------------------

Our Lady of Grace instituion

After kissing her, JD knew that he had officially lost it.

I'm going home. Dr. Birkin could kiss his proverbial ass.  The man was obviously not going to come back and relieve him, so he had to assume that his shift was over.  He was a computer nerd for Chrissake! He didn't have to baby-sit his boss's wife at the whisper of a problem.

JD stepped outside the door and peered up at the sky.  The air suddenly seemed…darker.  A gray haze spread over the sun, turning it the slightest red in the afternoon.  People were looking up at the sky in wonder-one woman in a wheelchair began to cough hysterically, causing two nearby doctors to usher her back into the hospital.

"What the…"

            People were moving back toward the hospital.  JD raised his eyes to the sky and frowned.  It smelled like somebody was having the world's largest barbeque.  It was getting harder to see, the gray haze was making his eyes water.

"Sir!" 

JD raised his eyes, "What?"

            A young man with short blond hair was tugging at his arm.

"We've got to get back inside! They say there's a fire!"

JD watched as a blond attractive woman jumped from her car and rushed back towards the fire, staring constantly at the sky.  JD then graciously allowed himself to be led along. 

-------------------------

The Spencer Mansion

"Pass me another needle will you?"

            Dr. Jones looked up, "What's that?"

A few employees began to quicken about the halls, the TV in the breakroom was tuned to the local radio station, and the local TV channel.  Most however, remained engaged.  The evacuation procedures were tighter now then fort Knox, should anything happen.

No danger, No Alarm.  Return to your workstations, we will keep you posted.

The company took care of its own after all.

------------------

Our lady instituion

"I'm going to give her a sedative." 

            Daniela was looking out at the orange glow.  It reminded her of the soft glow emitted from pumpkins on Halloween night, the strange shapes twisting in the gray haze making its own trick or treaters-and its own daemons. 

"Are you sure you want to-"

            Katie stared back at her.

Annette looked up and had a dazed, yet vivid impression of a daemon bearing down upon her.

-------------------

A/N-something like a fire had to happen in order to keep people in the hospital, but it also imitates life in a way.  


	9. Parisian Nightlife kills

Chapter Nine-the fires continue, and I remain incredibly bored so I write.  Its actually kind of making up for lost time since I haven't updated this story for so long…ha! 

A/N- this chapter is almost exclusively involving the situation in Paris (Which we hardly ever hear about) so it's Nemmy, Wesker, Hunk, Kate, and…a new monster? Gasp! 

"If the radiance of a thousand suns  
Were to burst at once into the sky  
That would be like the splendor of the Mighty one --  
I am become Death,  
The shattered of Worlds."   
-_Hindu Spiritual, Bhagavad-Gita Gita_

__

------------------

PARIS

UMBRELLA – HQ

"This brings the total up to nine." Albert Wesker dropped the latest evening headlines on the desk of the secretary to Umbrella Corporation's head of Public Relations, "Do you hear me? NINE!"

            "I'm sorry sir, I still can't let you in to see Mr. Anderson-"

"No, Fuck Anderson.  I want you to get me Spencer hear me? Wesker banged his fist on the table jolting the woman out of a caffeine-induced coma.  She glared at him from behind horn rims, and typed hurriedly into the computer.

Wesker stared out at the deepening gloom of Paris, the city of love lit with the soft buttery glow emitting from hundreds of bodies that were completely serene.  He was sick of this damn city.

He wanted to go home.

            "Mr. Spencer has gone home."

Of course. Wesker nodded dejectedly.  What made me think I could touch him? He would have pursued the matter further had he not promised to keep his dinner date with Kate McGraw and her mysterious "Boyfriend."

He turned on his heel and left.

------

Outside, he had to keep his face covered.

            The press was dotting the building façade with lights, asking questions in English and in Loud French, which a bewildered representative of the company was attempting to answer.  Wesker turned his attention away from the poorly held press conference, focusing instead on the dark back alleys that seemed to make up most of the area nearest to the building.

"Albert!"

            Albert looked up.

Kate stood a few ways back, wrapped in a dark red cape with a pale white dress underneath.  Next to her, a tall figure in an evening suit…

"Special Agent Hunk?"

            The man smiled, "You've heard of me?"

Only by reputation.

            Hunk, also known as Mr. Death, was the feared member of the UBCS team.  Wesker knew very little of his background, but apparently he was the one who Umbrella sent in to deal with various "Disturbances" of their employees.  Since the UBCS was becoming the police force of choice for the company, Hunk was getting even more press then usual. 

Wesker hated him.

            He hated him even more because he respected him.  He respected the smooth, easy way that he moved through the crowds.  He respected the loving looks that he gave Kate as they led Wesker to a car, a sleek thing that probably hadn't ever been seen by any American.  He even liked the way that Hunk held open the door for Kate, before getting in himself. 

"So Albert…hows the monster hunt going?" Hunk said, chuckling lightly.

"There have been nine murders." Wesker coughed.  They stepped into the sleek black thing as Hunk gave orders to the driver in French (Yet another thing to respect him for) and turned to study Wesker with a critical and keen eye.

"So you're Albert Wesker."

            "I see you've heard of me."

"James is very…popular." Kate slid her arm through his and lay her head on his shoulder "Aren't you Mr. Cooper?"

Wesker resisted the urge to gag.

            "They've hired me to bring it in alive."

Wesker coughed, and then studied Mr. Death with new eyes.

"They've WHAT?"

            James leaned back and Kate pushed away, staring out the window at the Parisian landscape.  There was something about his eyes that caused Wesker to flinch back instinctively, like meeting the eyes of the director-or-god forbid-Mr. Spencer himself.

            "They've hired me to bring it in alive." Hunk smirked at Wesker, "Don't look so surprised, it's a highly expensive specimen."

"I don't even know _what _it is." Wesker's eyes narrowed. Mr. High and Fucking mighty is more like it… 

            Here Hunk smiled, and folded his hands across his chest, studying Wesker carefully.  

            "Gentlemen…" Kate leaned foreward, interrupting the boys and their staring contest, "The level of testosterone in the car is starting to choke me, and lets tone it down a notch hmm?"

Wesker shook his head, "Kate, there's no problem here."

            "We've Arrived Monsieur Cooper." 

Wesker peered out into the night, ignoring Kate, "Where are we?"

            "Dinner." Kate pointed at the glimmering lights of a restaurant.  People in faux spandex, which seemed the high of fashion, were crowded outside a fake Grecian palace.  Wesker sighed, as Hunk opened the door for Kate who glowed at his touch.

I wish… 

He closed his eyes and followed them out.

-----------------------

UMBRELLA-HQ

"Mr. Spencer, Mr. Wesker was back again today."

            The only answer to the Secretary's information was the sound of heavy breathing.  The high domed ceiling made the sound echo off the rafters.   Ornate columns decorated the long hallway leading up the single desk that she was addressing-a bizarre altar to some god of darkness. 

"I sent him away, but he continued to return." She said quietly, "Soon, company affairs fears that he will suspect the existence of the prototype."

The breathing continued.

"Sir…do you have anything you wish us to do?"

            Spencer raised a withered hand and placed a gray-green piece on his chessboard.  The existence of the mole could not be compromised-not yet.  If the Americans were to find out now, that the mother corporation had people in all walks of life in relation to his company keeping tabs on them…

"Sir?"

            The nemesis was becoming a problem.

"Send out another little toy to keep Wesker occupied-then have Mr. Cooper retrieve our missing specimen."

"Yes sir."

---------------------

The Bowels of the Umbrella Corporation

There are limits to madness.

            Although the events that were set in motion by Spencer and Ashford were heinous, they were nothing compared to the lengths the corporation was truly going to.

There were limits to that playing field.

But no limits to Europe, dominated on one side by the omnipresent "Red" menace, and on the other by the shrieking eagle, daring those who did not support its frenzied whore of capitalism to attack.

They were prepared for anything and everything. 

In the basement of the Parisian faculty were cages.

And in these cages were…things.

            The field of Genetic testing was at its birth in the 1980s.  However thanks to the genius of a select few madmen, the Umbrella Corporation had pushed its limits up to a standard that governments and medical scientists expected to reach in the year 2003. 

Manipulation.

The Technician was an American, so he wasn't surprised that the order from above came down in English.

Montague,

Orders have come from the highest Executive level (Class 9.7223) to release and establish a colony of Manticores in Paris for testing purposes.  Use Access tunnel 18-A12 to release Male Specimen (Codenamed Adam) into Parisian Sewer system along with Beta Specimen (Codenamed Eve) 

Regards,

Management.

"Holy Fucking Shit." Montague absorbed the paper for a few moments, re-reading the orders again, and double-checking the clearance.

The order came from Spencer himself.

            Impossible. Montague left his secluded desk, stalking down the dimly lit corridors that looked like relics from so many long forgotten horror films, They can't ask me to… 

            He stopped in front of a steel bolted door labeled A-11.  Inside, furious growling and snarling could be heard-occasionally interrupted by the sound of a large body thrashing against a cage.  The Manticores could be restless when agitated, and even they seemed particularly perturbed today.

He shrugged, orders were orders after all.

He removed a lab-key from his pocket and slid it through the electronic opener, and entered carefully.

----------------------------------

Somewhere outside Paris-unknown

Samantha stirred when she heard the rustling.

            She blinked a weary eye as she groaned, pushing herself up off the seat.  Her companions lay still in various states of repose around her-the late evening light bouncing glow off their faces.

"Hmm?"

Something in the bushes was moving.

Correction, the bushes were moving.

            Like a great green mass, something large and ugly moved out of them with a speed that Samantha could not picture, and did not understand.  Her addled brain frowned to itself, trying to comprehend what she saw.

"The Hulk?"

The thing roared.

            It raised a great fist and peeled away pieces of leaves and grass from it's scarred face, revealing a hideous small filled with grinning teeth.  Impossibly large-it was naked-revealing its gruesome detail to the world about it.  Pale tubing still stuck from parts of its back, its body in the advanced stages of decay.  For the entire world it was the zombie king, coming to revenge those lost in the thousands of movies where zombies had been taken.

" OH MY GOD!"

She started the engine, flinging a startled David into the dashboard.

            "Sam? Sam what the hell is the matter with-"

"Get the fuck down, get the fuck down, and get the fuck down-"

"Sam?"

"Its coming, its coming, holy Jesus mother of god its coming-"

            "Sam!" David screamed as she narrowly avoided a great oak tree, "WHAT THE HELL IS-"

"REEEVEEEENNNNNGGGGGGEEEEEEEEE!"

"Holy Christ!"

            David glanced over at the rear-view mirror out of habit, laughing as he read the "Objects in Mirror may be closer then they appear." Sign.  Somehow, something in his brain registered the joke.

The little car bounced toward town as David tried to explain to the frightened teenagers in the car, that an eight-foot killing machine bound to chase them until death.

            "Head into town!" Felix cried, "Then…maybe-"

"Mon Dieu!" Sam careened onto the sidewalk and knocked an old lady down.   Behind them, the monster retreated from the lights-its eyes visible like two points in David's vision.

It was afraid… 

            People were yelling now, swarms of angry French people were covering the car like bees.  Felix had opened a window, yelling back and trying to get two of the cops to push away.  Sam took a deep breath and lay back.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded weakly, managing the ghost of a smile to reassure David of her safety.

            He kissed her lightly on the lips before getting out of the car to explain the situation.

------------------

Le Maison D' café 

"Madamoiselle, telephone." A waiter handed a pearl phone to Kate, who interrupted her stream of conversation to take it.

            "She's beautiful." Wesker hadn't touched his prawns (Prawns again!) and Hunk was smirking.  Kate spoke quietly, and then raised her eyes.  She put a hand to her mouth, making a small O.  The polite tinkle of high society was everywhere, making both Wesker and Hunk nervous-although Hunk was better at hiding it.

            "Merci, Merci." Kate hung up the phone and waved her hand at the waiter, pushing him away.  Wesker studied his prawns again, preparing to make another attack-

"That'll have to wait." Kate pushed her food away and grabbed her handbag, "They found the kids I'm looking for."

---------------------------------------

Paris Subway system

6:00

6:00 and Pierre Dupont was already late.

            Shit. He checked his watch again.  He was going to be late for dinner for the fifth time this week, and his wife was not going to be pleased.  Marionette and Claudia weren't going to be pleased either, today was Claudia's fashion show, and he'd managed to miss it again.

Damn.

He breathed deep and inhaled the smoke from a hundred cigarettes.  His end of the platform was deserted, unfortunately making it impossible for him to make small talk with anyone nearby.

            Pierre looked out into the gloom of the subway station and frowned.  Two tiny lights, almost like distant flashlight beams crossed his vision, before darting back into the inky cloak of the opposite side of the platform.

"Hello?"

            The lights appeared again-this time staring directly at him.  They were joined by a second pair, and followed by a third these smaller then the first too. 

"Hey! You there!"

The sets of eyes vanished.

            Pierre sighed and set down his briefcase carefully.  He shed his trench coat (That time of the year again, as his wife said) and walked carefully over to the edge of the platform.  He had a half an hour before the next train, and the distant rumble of the tracks didn't bother him in the slightest.  He knew his way around tunnels like these, as a contractor-he had to.

He grunted as he dropped his weight to the lower levels.  Soft dirt and ash crunched under his feet as he made his way cautiously over the tracks to the other side-which remained shrouded in gloom.  He frowned, reaching out a hand to grip the hard concrete side.

Nothing.

            He pulled himself upward into the darkness and cursed.  He should have grabbed his flashlight before bolting off to the side like that, maybe-if he was lucky he could still grab that and examine the lights.  They might be punk kids-who could get in and damage the electric lines if they weren't careful.

A long, thin arm reached out of the void, grabbing him around the neck-and he knew no more.

----------------------------

A/N-There's Chapter Nine! Woot! Chapter ten will be all Raccoon City, and then we'll go back to the usual of Paris/Raccoon.  Boy! Keeping two storylines in toe like this is hard work!


	10. Evacuations can be fun!

Chapter Ten! Ah, the joys of a sleepless night.  There's a certain amount of pleasure that I get from constantly posting new things for people to enjoy on Fanfiction.net.  Its like I'm speaking to a wide audience.  I hope you guys are all having a restful evening.

A/N: This chapter, like the rest deals with the situation in Raccoon.  With the fire I mean no disrespect to what's going on right now (How can I when I'm right in the middle of it?)  And what people are doing.  This chapter (out of all the others) for scenes of extreme horror, chaos, and insanity is rated R.  Please beware

------------------------

Raccoon City

Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared. 

**Eddie Rickenbacker (1890 - 1973)**

------------------

Firestorm Mobile command post

"Alright!" The Replacement chief, a Mr. Jake Kenton, pointed to the map, "This is Raccoon City!"

Several snickers erupted immediately around the room.  The Chief ignored them and pointed to a colorful map with a red section symbolizing the fire.

            The hikers who had started it were both dead-it was unclear who made the 911 calls, since it was supposed to have originated in that area.  Two crews had been hospitalized-sent out eastward toward Silent Hill.

They couldn't fight it.

            That was what frightened the RFD the most.  The fire was spreading quickly, its claws raking the sky while its teeth drove along the ground, consuming all in its path.  Two minutes ago, a call had gone out to the Silent Hill Fire Department, asking for all their strength and speed-but many were worried.

"This is East Raccoon." The chief pointed at a smaller area containing a large construction paper square labeled hospital "This is a priority because it is directly in the fire's path.  East Raccoon was more commonly known as Holland Heights-because of the new high class condos that Umbrella was paying for out in that direction.

"West Raccoon doesn't seem to be in the path at all." The chief made a sweeping motion-encompassing most of the town and the forest, "Therefore we'll focus our efforts on saving East Raccoon.  The fire is spreading quickly gentlemen."

Nods and murmurs of assent.  They had only delt with small residential fires, already the smoke was taxing their airwaves-and explaining it to the barking newshounds that collected outside the RFD was hurting their heads.

"Alright." The Chief continued, heavily speaking, "Christ-is there a window open?"

            "Sorry Chief." A girl (No more then a girl!) with long, string like black hair stood quickly and shut the window against the oppressive gloom that was descending.  He stared outside for a moment, his mind absorbing the dark gloom and rays of red that bled against the sky.

"Chief?"

"Sorry, lets return to the diagram."

-----------------------

Raccoon Township.

The town had become a roman circus almost instantaneously.

            One of the reasons why William Birkin and Ada Wong weren't being delt with in an expedient manner, had to do with this sudden change in daily activities.  When people are cornered-it is inevitable that they will be concerned.  Humans can preach about courage, about how far we've risen above the animals.  It is a universal fact however, that people in large groups, put in situations of danger-revert quickly.

The police had set up barricades around the station.

            "Irons!" the Mayor said in a tight voice, "Do you really think that you can keep this crowd under control?" The police who stared back at their mayor with wide eyes stared back at their chief trying to control their own fear.

Irons were a large man, shaped like the stereotypical image of a police officer.  The proverbial "Fat cop stealing apples", Irons grunted in reply, and pushed his way through the crowd to where a thin young man with long brown hair was leading one of the protests.

            "BURTOLUCCI!"

Irons anger was due, in part, to the fact that he had spoken with Ben Bertolucci a few minutes earlier in an offical statement.  The lanky journalist had no business being in the front of a riot.

            "Ah!" The young man smiled, "Care to comment on poor police procedure?"

Irons squinted at him, anger radiating from his face, "What the hell are you talking about?"

            Ben smiled.  His hair was damp and his eyes were watery-almost feverish.  The smoke was filling the air now-and several of the hounds barking at the door were dropping back coughing.

"Listen to me!" Irons coughed, trying to be heard above the din, "SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU ASSHOLES!"

Times like these, called for desperate measures.

            "Listen to the Mayor!" Irons waved his hands and jumped up and down.  The sheer sight of this ridiculously large pig, jumping up and down and acting like a lunatic, was enough to make some of the mob quiet.  

Marvin, one of those holding the barricade, smiled.  The air clouded around him-he laughed before dropping.

"Shit!"

            "He's hurt!" a woman moved foreward.  Marvin's lifeless eyes rolled back into his head as he curled himself into a fetal position, coughing violently.  They swarmed over him then, many offering advice-their own plights forgotten.

----------------------------

RPD Jail block

William groaned.

            "Wonder what's burning." Their dim windows let in sunlight-pale flakes of ash dancing downward to their position-like snow.  They were getting in his hair-darkening its pale blond to a light gray.

"Fire must be big." Ada rocked back and forth against the wall, "Really big." 

            "You sound worried."

Ada bent her head and the shadows lengthened on her face.  Her long black hair hid her features from view-an impenetrable façade against those who might wish to help her-or hurt her.

"Its nothing."

            William tried to push thoughts of Annette out of his mind, "I'm worried."

Ada laughed heartedly, "Why would you be worried?"

"My wife." William snapped, "Annette is at the hospital.  I haven't seen her in almost 24 hours." 

            "You never struck me as the type to worry about someone like that Birkin." Ada shrugged; "As for me…" she shook her head, "its not important."

Concern for Annette, and humanity in general prompted his next words, "What's the matter?"

            Ada took a shuddering breath, twisting her head away from him.  William raised his hands and put them over his face trying to rub away the sleep, the hatred for chief irons and for those who had put him here-

"I was five years old."

            William looked up wearily, "What?"

Ada spoke without looking at him-a gargoyle curled up in the darkness.

            "I was five years old when fire hit our home town in China.  My father was a fireman, he was called away to fight the blaze-he told my mother that we weren't in any danger-so she didn't worry." Ada paused, drawing in a ragged breath, "The fire department came by in a truck blaring-horns screeching.  My father-had died-" she sounded broken now, "My mother was hysterical-she shooed me outside and-and-and-" Ada looked up.

She was crying.

            William moved across the room and held her shoulders trying to comfort her in her hour of need.  

"I watched my life burn." Ada said, beginning to sniffle, "I saw it burn-and then-then-"

            "Hey…" William smiled and patted her reassuringly; "We're going to make it through this.  Irons will come back-let us out-I'll get to Annette…and-"

"I just…don't…"

William hugged her tightly.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of you."

----------------------

A few miles away

Maude's café

Lisa Sunderland smiled as Kyle handed her a coke.

            "Thanks." She grinned, "Can't drink on duty, so I take a coke whenever I get a chance." Kyle nodded-absorbing her words-but focused outside on the oppressive cloud of smoke.  

"What's the matter?" If there really is a fire, then I'd better get my act together. Lisa had seen what happened in the San Diego Fire of 1975.  People had called it the worst fire to ever hit that part of the country.  

            "I'm worried about the fire." Kyle took a sip of his own drink absentmindedly, "And about that guy we arrested?"

Lisa frowned, "Mr. Scientist? I wouldn't worry." She turned away from him, distracted by his sudden bought of feeling for the predator that was attacking those innocent kids…

A distant plume of smoke lit their vision.  A waitress-a young teenage thing with bright, wide eyes came running from the back, screaming.

            "We've got to evacuate!" she grabbed a purse from behind the counter, "Forced evacuations! Come on! Haven't you been watching the news?"

This is the Raccoon City Police Department! The electronic voice of a bullhorn screamed into their ears, All people in the premises must be evacuated immediately!  No questions asked! 

            "Oh my god…" Lisa raised a hand to her mouth, "And to think! We've been resting!" she vividly remembered the feeling of fear and horror, watching the homes on television-

"Lets go." Kyle grabbed the waitresses arm, "They'll need our help."

They walked out the door and emerged into hell.

            What had once been gloom of a thousand foggy nights was now a Deeping blanket that covered the area with fine gray ash falling from the pale sky like snow.  Moving in a surreal dream-Kyle, Lisa, and their baggage allowed themselves to be moved away from the area.

We need to get you to a secure area in town. Lisa shrieked and began to cough violently, her sudden intake of breath drawing in ash and poison.  The bug that had moved out of the darkness pointed to a badge on his chest-identifying him as part of the department of fire and forestry.

            You need to come with me now. The bug said in a mechanical voice, There's nothing for you here. 

"What-* cough * about my- *cough * Parent's café-"

The bug pointed.

            Later, when recounting her statement in relation to later events, Lisa would remember it in a half-dream.  "IT was eating." She said in a dazed voice, "Just eating and eating.  A horrific creature-a daemon-eating and eating." 

The fire licked the remaining wooden beams and went to work on the gas vents.

            Jesus! a bug was running towards them, McNitt! Get the hell out of there! Its going to- 

Their world was consumed.

            The group was thrown back-landing several feet away with a great smacking sound, like child pounding his fist against plastic.  Lisa screamed-the fire loomed over her with its monstrous face and its glaring-burning-evil red eyes…

"COME ON!"

            Kyle had her in his arms.  

And she knew nothing more.

----------------------------

Our Lady of Grace institution

Annette Birkin's room. 

Annette studied her ceiling intently.

"Grandma Cass?"

            An old, toad woman stood in one corner.  Her ugly appearance detracted by the kind look in her eyes.  Annette grunted as she pushed her uncooperative body into a sitting position.

"Hi Honey." Cass said kindly, "Not feeling well?"

            "I'm sick." Annette shook her head, "I'm sick-"

"Well, I could have told you that." The woman moved foreward and patted Annette's arm with a slimy hand, "Working for that awful place."

            "No…" Umbrella wasn't awful, how could it be? She met her husband there, she worked there-they did good work, "I'm pregnant."

            "That's not being sick dear." The woman took a step back, "That's perfectly natural-although I never thought of you as the mothering type.  I hope you take better care of her then your own mother did."

Annette frowned, indignant, "Mother did just fine."

            Cass's eyes narrowed, "Ann dear…your mother left you for her work at the hospital.  She married a man who drank and called you names.  It was a blessing for the whole family when I managed to pry you away from the two of them."

Annette glared, cornered, "Grandma-Dad did what he did because-"

            "Because he was hurt too.  Well dear, the cycle obviously continues.  I pray for the poor dear's soul-you'd better take good care of your daughter." Cass shook a skeleton finger at her granddaughter, "No running off to play with dead things-you've seen enough death and horror in your life."

"Speaking of death…" Annette said weakly, "Aren't you dead?"

Cass's eyes widened.

            Annette dropped back onto her pillows, "God help me…" She gasped, "I think I'm loosing my mind."

"There seems to be a lot of that going around."

            Annette raised her head again.  The figure that had taken her grandmother's place was familiar-like a character remade from an old TV show and brought back to play some sort of ironic cosmic relief.

"You…"

            "Don't you think its crazy enough as it is?" Sherry Delaney, "Without people messing around with things they shouldn't be messing around in?"

"You…"

            Sherry continued.  Ghosts are not ruled by conventions, or by ordinary means of getting someone to stop talking, or provide information.

            "Your work is the cause of the fire you know."

Annette raised her head off the pillow, "UMBRELLA WOULDN'T DO THAT!"

            "No." Sherry turned to face her.  On her forehead-like stigmata-the bullet hole that had ended her life gleamed with a red-unnatural light, "They didn't.  But they are indirectly responsible.  As they will be indirectly responsible for the destruction of this town."

Annette twisted to one side, "No…No…"

            "You've been seeing things."

Annette raised her hands to her face blocking out the apparition and the voice in her head-whimpering over and over.  Sherry's dead face came swimming up in her vision-the face of her husband-infected-the face of everything she'd ever known falling into ruin.

            "I'm trying to help you."

Annette shook her head.  Sherry had been afraid-she was the one who had to help-wasn't she?

            "You're in danger."

Annette raised her head slowly the figure vanished-now speaking with a thousand voices.  It was as if the hospital itself was speaking.  A moving entity with a thousand distinct voices, all-trying to impart information into a single human being.

            "Listen very carefully…"

And Annette Birkin screamed.

-----------------------------

Our lady of grace instituion-continued.

The understaffed hospital that had been built to service raccoon city was overcrowded.  Terrified civilians, and hospital employees milled about like livestock-on their way to a slaughter yard.

It was up to Katie to calm them down.

I feel a little hysterical myself. She gripped the corner of her dress tightly; I wish I knew when I'd be getting the call back from- 

            One of her surgeons tapped her lightly on the shoulder.  Katie let out a shriek-then turned about angrily.

"Don't-SCARE –me like that." She hissed, "What do you want George?"

George's normally stoic expression was broken.  He shook his head and pointed to a side door, where they could speak in private. 

            Katie sighed and put a finger to the bridge of her nose.  The main headquarters in Europe were having problems.  Apparently Sam had gone gallivanting around Europe looking for the great secret project-and now they had a top agent after her.  Meanwhile, there was the "Albert Wesker" situation.

They had delivered her an ultimatum

Annette Birkin could not get better.

            Which was why she'd been slipping her every possible Upper, along with a few cocktails that would make anybody see music dancing along every natural concert.  That would explain her radical behavior-who knew what it was doing to her fetus-

"We have a problem." George was her confident in these matters.  Unhappily married-he also represented a lifetime of yearnings that Katie-being his superior-had at last been able to act upon. 

Katie shook her head, "Speak Caesar."

            "What?"

"Never mind." She rolled her eyes, "What's the matter?"

"Birkin's gone missing."

-----------------

Outside, Ambulance area

Alyssa twisted the metal knob, before pushing gently.

This is Alyssa. She spoke softly into her micro cassette recorder.  A good reporter was never without something handy to tell the truth to, I'm inside the Grace instituion-and about to enter Dr. Sunder land's private offices. 

            She smirked.  When the news of the fire hit-she'd run back intending to get a closer look at some of Miss Katie's files.  When they evacuated-she'd head out.  She was probably missing a big break-by not covering the fire with ben.

But then who needed a fire when the whole world was suddenly there for the plucking?

She dug into a file cabinet

            "Bingo."

Files, lots of files. Files tying Dr. Sunderland to two different major corporations-one mainly based overseas.  Files of her and-could it be-

Then there came a knock at the door.

--------------

A/N-CLIFFHANGER! WOOT!


End file.
